Advocacy News

Advocacy works. Aetna has confirmed that starting Jan. 1, it will stop requiring prior authorization for cataract surgeries in Georgia.

The Academy and our ophthalmic coalition have succeeded in delaying implementation of new minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) local coverage determination policies.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is approving some 2022 MIPS targeted review requests made by retina groups who were inappropriately scored on the diabetes episode-based cost measure.

Medicare administrative contractor WPS said last week it will revise its recently released final local coverage determination policy for minimally invasive glaucoma surgery following objections raised by the Academy and our ophthalmic partners. 

After major Medicare contractors released identical coverage policies that would limit patients’ access to sight-saving care, the Academy spearheaded a joint effort with ophthalmic specialists to ask CMS to intervene and halt implementation.

Four more Medicare administrative contractors published their final local coverage determinations for glaucoma surgical procedures today, following the lead of WPS. The policies will take effect Dec. 24.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services final rule for the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems includes a 3.1% payment boost for 2024.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Center for Clinical Standards and Quality was responsive to suggestions from the Academy and the American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery on how to improve the cataract cost measure for ophthalmology in a meeting Tuesday.

Medicare administrative contractor WPS published its final local coverage determination for glaucoma surgical procedures today, after months of Academy advocacy and public input on this important coverage issue. The policy will take effect Dec. 24.

Committee action in the House and Senate this week focused on Medicare, with hearings on Academy priorities to improve patient access to care, including policies to reform prior authorization and update the Medicare physician payment system.