Advocacy News

Thanks to Academy advocacy and leadership, and the voices of members like you, the Seniors’ Act cleared a major hurdle in reforming prior authorization in Medicare Advantage. Let’s keep pushing until it becomes law.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2027. Here are the highlights based on the Academy’s analysis. The Academy will work with our advocacy partners to ensure finalized policies support our members and their patients.

Leading the profession's response, the Academy united ophthalmic societies to formally oppose Medicare's proposed restrictions on intraocular drug-delivery implant coverage.

The broad cuts to ASC facility reimbursement for most ophthalmology services could erect barriers to patient access.

At the AMA Annual Meeting, ophthalmology helped shape national policy.

Ignoring patient safety concerns, Vermont lawmakers passed S.64, authorizing optometrists to perform surgical and laser procedures. The Academy remains committed to patient safety and will continue to fight in the states for physician-led surgical eyecare.

While cost category concerns remain, The Academy's clinical data registry again helped our members achieve strong performance in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).

Congress heads home in August, and the timing could not be more important. Prior authorization reform and Medicare physician payment reform are both in play this fall — and constituent meetings during recess are one of the most effective ways to move legislators off the sidelines. The Academy will coordinate the meeting; you bring the message.

The proposal is a major change to how federal research grants are currently awarded across the government.

Our comments on a proposed regulation reflect the Academy’s dedication to reforming how Medicare Advantage utilizes prior authorization and to minimizing practice burdens