Volume 9, Issue 36│September 19, 2025 | | | Editor's note: there will be no Insight eNewsletter next Friday, September 26. | | Time is running out! ⏰ Register for the 2025 IOA Annual Meeting before September 21 to save and avoid on-site registration fees. | | |
This year’s IOA Annual Meeting offers an unmatched opportunity to earn up to 18 hours of tested CE in one convenient event with all tests included in your registration!
Network with colleagues, gain fresh insights from top speakers, explore the latest innovations, and leave empowered to take your practice to the next level.
Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity to learn, connect, and grow. Register today!
About the Annual Meeting:
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Looking for your course materials? Click the button below to access Annual Meeting course handouts! 📝 | |
Get Ready for Optometry’s Celebration! 🎉
Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 27 and join us for an unforgettable evening honoring the best in optometry. Celebrate this year’s award recipients and be inspired by remarks from incoming President & Chair, Dr. Clint Taylor. Then, get ready to unwind and enjoy a high-energy live performance by The Mix!
This is the can’t-miss event of the year! Come connect, celebrate, and have fun with colleagues from across Illinois!
| | September is Paraoptometric Appreciation Month: | |
September is Paraoptometric Appreciation Month, the only formal observance dedicated to honoring optometric staff and recognizing the value they bring to the success of every optometric practice. Throughout the month, practices across the country are encouraged to celebrate the dedication, skill, and professionalism of their paraoptometric team members, who play a vital role in patient care, office efficiency, and overall practice growth!
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Thank you PAC Donors!
Connor Robbs, OD
Justin Kwan, OD
Ryan Witt, OD
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Get Recognized on the PAC Donor Sign at the 2025 IOA Annual Meeting!
Make a donation of $50 or more today and have your name added to the IOA PAC donor sign displayed at the 2025 Annual Meeting in Schaumburg, September 25–28. Your contribution strengthens optometry’s voice in Illinois and ensures our profession continues to move forward.
| | The following IOA members were recognized with awards at ICO’s Homecoming earlier this month. Pictured from left to right: Dr. Raman Bhakhri, Excellence in Education Award; Dr. Ellen Shorter, Alumnus of the Year; Dr. Janice McMahon, Professional Service Award; Dr. Millicent Knight, Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Robin Rinearson, Humanitarian Award; and Dr. Winnie Li, Young OD Award. | | |
IOA Past President Dr. Chelsey Moore was highlighted in Women in Optometry’s “Finding Inspiration Everywhere” feature.
Look up to others, involvement also resonates with Dr. Moore. “I am one of the recent past presidents of the Illinois Optometric Association,” she says. “I have always looked to the other amazing women who led our state before me.” She’s also inspired by those on national-level boards. “The women in leadership on the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees amaze me,” she says. “Seeing them balance practices, friends, family, the AOA and other leadership roles is truly inspiring.”
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IOA Education Director Dr. Caitlyn McHugh-Glab pictured with Rep. Nabeela Syed at an event for her Senate kickoff.
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MEMBER BENEFIT: FREE On-Demand CE Series!
Don't forget! The IOA offers FREE On-Demand CE, as part of your membership you gain access to a variety of free continuing education courses. Courses for the 2024-2026 licensing cycle are now available on the On-Demand CE platform. ODs can take all 18 regular hours of CE online through the On-Demand CE Series.
As an Illinois licensed CE provider, all courses taken through IOA will count for an Illinois license renewal.
| | The Eyes on Tomorrow Fund, previously known as the Legislative Equity Fund, is a dedicated resource created by and for optometrists to support the Illinois Optometric Association’s (IOA) state-level advocacy efforts. This fund directly empowers optometry’s fight for scope expansion, the regulation of Vision Benefits Managers (VBMs), and other legislative battles crucial to protecting the profession and ensuring patient care. Unlike political action committees (PACs), this fund is not used to support candidates but instead provides critical resources for advancing optometry in Illinois. | | |
The PAC (Political Action Committee) is a group organized to promote its members' views on selected issues, usually through raising money that is contributed to the campaign funds of candidates who support the group's position to keep our friends in office. Now more than ever, we need strong, principled leaders who will fight for equal rights, and access to essential services —Will you pitch in today to help us protect our profession and the patients we serve?
Contributions to the IOA PAC can be made as a One-Time Donation or as Recurring Monthly Donation and deducted automatically from donor's bank account or charged to their credit card. Selecting to contribute a set amount on a monthly basis is a painless and effortless way to contribute to and support the IOA PAC. Contributions to the IOA PAC fund are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.
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We want to hear from YOU!
Do you have a business question or a dilemma we can answer for you? Others may have the same inquiry. Ask away! We will answer your question in an upcoming issue.
(Don't worry, we won't include your name.)
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Eye care practitioners should report all violations of the FCLCA, including instances in which contact lens sellers fail to comply with the prescription verification provisions of the law.
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The AOA Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the following candidates for board positions at Optometry’s Meeting® in Phoenix in June 2026:
- Terri A. Gossard, O.D., M.S., president-elect
- Curtis A. Ono O.D., vice president
- Paul M. Barney, O.D., secretary-treasurer
- Karoline L. Munson, O.D., trustee (reelection)
- Amy A. Puerto, O.D., trustee (reelection)
- Shane A. Foster, O.D., trustee
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Member Benefit from AOAExcel: Have AOA Dues Paid with the AOA Business Card
Choosing the right business credit card is critical to the success of your practice. You need a card that’s flexible, efficient, and allows you to focus on what matters most—running your practice efficiently and providing care to your patients. The AOA Business Card is the only credit card designed specifically for AOA members.
The AOA Business Card offers:
· Reimbursement of AOA dues—a $996 value*
· Up to 2% Unlimited Cash Back Rewards on all purchases with no category or spending limits*
· No annual fee*
Provided as a member benefit through AOAExcel, the AOA Business Card is an invaluable asset to any small independent business owner who is a member of the AOA, and it’s plain to see why.
The modern online platform allows you to set spending permissions, access to over 20 vendor offers and redeem rewards with ease and the multiple card feature provides added flexibility and independence for your staff.
Hundreds of your fellow AOA members are already using the AOA Business Card—what are you waiting for? Take control of your practice expenses and reward yourself in the process at aoacard.com.
*Visit about.card.aoa.org for full terms & conditions.
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Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment Audits are Overwhelming Optometry Practices
— How AOA member doctors are managing the burden and negotiating for better terms.
AOA | By Staff
June 24, 2025
Doctors of optometry are receiving an unprecedented number of records requests related to Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment audits. In some cases, Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) are requesting several hundreds of records at once.
Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment audits are the primary way the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services address improper overpayments to MAOs. During an audit, Medicare confirms that any diagnoses submitted for risk adjustment are supported by the patient’s medical record.
They aren’t meant to scrutinize optometric practices, but unfortunately doctors of optometry are getting caught in the crosshairs. “It is just a frustrating experience to place this quantity of burden on practicing ODs,” says Jeni Kohn, O.D., whose practice received requests for more than 1,000 records.
Three AOA member doctors share their experiences.
What happened when you first received a risk adjustment records request? What was your initial reaction?
Jeni Kohn, O.D., chair of AOA-PAC: “I was confused. I had never received a request like this before and was concerned. Anthem was the first to reach out and asked for 599 records. Shortly after, we received one from Humana for 479 records. Since the initial contact we have received several smaller requests.”
David Cockrell, O.D., chair of the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety: “Our initial reaction was surprise at a request for almost 500 patient records dating back almost 18 months.”
What steps did you take after receiving the request?
Dr. Kohn: “The first thing I did was reach out to the AOA for clarification. They and Steve Eiss were very helpful in explaining the current climate and why we were getting such a large amount of records requests. After that, I reached out to the point person for each company to negotiate the number of records, payment and also clarify exactly what information they wanted.”
Steve Eiss, O.D., chair of the AOA’s Third Party Center Committee: “We immediately contacted the company requesting the records (usually not the insurance plan involved). We requested a fee per record to be reimbursed to cover our time and supplies to provide this information.”
Were you able to negotiate for any of the following: deadline extension, reduced number of records, or payment? What can you share about the negotiation process?
Dr. Eiss: “Fortunately for us, the most recent requests have been manageable number wise, but we have been able to reduce numbers in the past. We were informed by the requestor that we were approved for $50 per record for reimbursement, and we did receive reimbursement a couple weeks later.”
Dr. Kohn: “We negotiated for payment per record as well as a deadline extension. We asked several times for a reduction of the number of charts, but they seemed unwilling to negotiate on that particular issue.”
How much staff time does it take to compile the requested records? Can you quantify the cost for your practice in terms of staff hours?
Dr. Cockrell: “The process is ongoing, but it will take two to five minutes to retrieve, review and submit each record. [This will amount to an estimated] 20 and 40 hours and $500 to $1,000 of staff time.”
Dr. Eiss: “It takes about 15 minutes per patient record to identify, compile and confirm with the doctor that the appropriate record is being forwarded, printed and sorted. That time can vary depending on the patient and the complexity of the records. If testing results need to be included, that increases the time significantly.”
How many of these requests have you received over your career?
Dr. Eiss: “We usually get at least a few requests every year. It seems that the number of records requested has really increased the past few years.”
Dr. Cockrell: “This is the first time we have received a request for more than a few dozen records in one request.”
Dr. Kohn: “This is the first risk assessment I remember receiving. The total of the risk assessment record requests we have received in the past few weeks is over 1,000.”
What are your best practices and lessons learned?
Dr. Kohn: “Reach out to the AOA for support or clarification. They are an incredible resource and are familiar with this topic and have feedback from doctors all across the country.”
Dr. Cockrell: “If we continue to see Medicare Advantage patients, these types of requests, if ongoing, will continue to be a burden in staff time that could be better used for patient care and a significant cost to our offices.”
“These companies need this data from you to comply with Medicare and increase their reimbursements, so you hold all the cards.” - Steve Eiss, O.D., chair of the AOA’s Third Party Center Committee
What advice would you give other doctors about responding to these requests?
Dr. Kohn: “Make sure you get paid upfront and ask for an extended deadline. They are pretty eager for the data, so you do have negotiating power.”
Dr. Eiss: “These companies need this data from you to comply with Medicare and increase their reimbursements, so you hold all the cards. Any deadlines they reference are deadlines created by them. The records requested are determined by them. This is not a direct request from Medicare to you. Don’t panic, reach out to the company and determine your reimbursement, and forward the records once paid. I wouldn’t ignore the request but take your time and make sure you are appropriately reimbursed.”
How to respond to Medicare Advantage records requests
The AOA encourages doctors of optometry to take a strategic approach to these requests.
- Call the phone number listed on the request (it might be for a third-party company that is contracted by the health plan) and ask for a deadline extension.
- Ask to reduce the number of records you need to submit to comply with the request.
- Ask for reimbursement.
For more information on responding to risk adjustment audits, doctors of optometry can access the AOA resource “Risk Adjustment Audits/Records Requests-How To Respond.” For questions about how to get reimbursed for time and effort spent in responding to records requests, contact stopplanabuses@aoa.org.
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'Tooth-In-Eye' Surgery Enables Man to See Again After 20 Years
— Brent Chapman's first vision after surgery was of Vancouver's skyline
Independent | By Shweta Sharma
September 16, 2025
A Canadian man has regained his eyesight after 20 years, thanks to a rare and complex “tooth-in-eye” surgery.
Brent Chapman, 34, from North Vancouver was 13 years old when he went blind after taking an ibuprofen before a Christmas basketball game.
He developed a severe allergic reaction to the drug that caused burns on his body and on the surface of his eyes.
The reaction, known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, left him in a coma for 27 days. He lost vision in his left eye due to an infection and suffered partial blindness in the other.
The surgery that gave him back his vision was carried out between February and August and the first thing Mr Chapman saw was the Vancouver skyline, viewed from the 16th-floor office of his ophthalmologist.
Mr Chapman had undergone nearly 50 surgeries over years to save his right eye, including multiple corneal transplants, but none succeeded.
It was only after meeting Dr Greg Moloney, ophthalmologist at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver, that he was offered the complex and rare procedure first developed in the 1960s.
The osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis, commonly known as tooth-in-eye surgery, has been performed only a few hundred times worldwide. It’s used in cases where severe corneal damage makes conventional corneal transplants or artificial corneas impossible.
The procedure involves removing a tooth, usually a canine, along with surrounding bone, and drilling a hole to insert a small optical lens. This “tooth-lens” is then implanted under the skin of the cheek or shoulder for several months to develop its own blood supply.
The damaged cornea is removed and the tooth-lens is placed into the eye, allowing light to enter and vision to return.
“I’m very happy and am just taking in the world again, appreciating the little things. It’s been kind of surreal and kind of a euphoric feeling to it,” Mr Chapman told CNN.
Dr Moloney said the tooth was a “really ideal structure for holding a focusing element in place”.
“It’s hard, it’s rigid, it survives in poor environments, and the body accepts it because it’s part of its own,” he explained.
The surgery is performed in two stages and can take up to 12 hours. It is only performed by a small number of specialists worldwide and success means regaining near normal vision.
“It’s like watching people come out of a time capsule and reintroduce themselves to the world,” Dr Moloney said. “It’s highly emotional for us.”
Mr Chapman’s tooth was extracted in February, and the implant was inserted into his eye in June. His final surgery, to adjust the lens and correct visual distortion, was carried out on 5 August.
He now has 20/30 vision which means he can see at a distance of 20 feet what a person with perfect vision can see at 30. “It is really indescribable, to be able to see the whole city and how there’s a whole world that is just intersecting,” he said after looking at the skyline.
“When you are blind or low-vision, you are not seeing that, and you are kind of in your head more. There’s a lot more mental chatter and it can be difficult. Dr Moloney and I made eye contact for the first time, and we both got quite emotional. I haven’t really made eye contact in 20 years.”
Mr Chapman now wants to travel to Japan, which tops his list of places to visit.
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Good Results With Same-Day Bilateral Cataract Surgery, Little Impact on Home Life
— Vision outcomes similar with mono-, multifocal lenses, minimal effect on patient activities
MedPage Today | By Charles Bankhead
September 12, 2025
Same-day bilateral cataract surgery led to vision outcomes that were at least as good as those with delayed sequential procedures, with limited impact on most patients' daily activities, according to two separate studies.
A retrospective analysis of 10,192 British patients showed that 85% achieved 20/20 vision following placement of multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) during immediate bilateral procedures, compared with 77% of patients who received the same type of IOLs during delayed sequential procedures.
In a second study, 88% of 157 Danish patients reported that they could function independently at home after immediate bilateral lens insertion. Additionally, 62% said they did not need a caregiver in the first 24 hours after surgery.
Both studies were reported at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Congress in Copenhagen.
"For patients, these findings are encouraging," said Gabriele Gallo Afflitto, MD, of Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, in a statement about his team's large retrospective cohort analysis. "They suggest that having cataract surgery performed in both eyes on the same day, particularly when combined with multifocal lens implantation, can deliver excellent vision, reduce dependence on glasses, and allow faster recovery."
Co-investigator Vincenzo Maurino, MD, also of Moorfields Eye Hospital, added, "For patients and the hospitals, this approach offers potential efficiency gains, including reduced waiting time, faster visual rehabilitation, and fewer clinic appointments, as well as lower overall costs, all without compromising patient outcomes."
Several factors have slowed adoption of same-day bilateral cataract surgery in the U.S., said Francis Mah, MD, of the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California. Previous surgical technique involved larger and more extensive operations, aphakia, and limitations of early-generation IOLs. Furthermore, postoperative rehabilitation would take 3 to 6 months, and the procedures carried a higher risk of complications.
"It would be unthinkable to take someone who's functioning, albeit with poor vision, then operate and potentially have worse vision bilaterally for weeks to months," Mah, current president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, told MedPage Today.
More recently, reimbursement has become an issue, as Medicare and private insurers pay only 50% for the second procedure, he added.
Gradually, however, more eye surgeons have warmed up to same-day surgery on both eyes.
An analysis of Medicare data for 10,290 eye surgeons showed that about 11% performed same-day bilateral surgery at least some of the time during 2018 to 2022. The proportion of surgeons performing same-day bilateral lens implantation increased from 15.63 per 1,000 in 2018 to 26.55 in 2022. Among surgeons who performed same-day bilateral procedures, the frequency of those procedures more than doubled, from 17.20 per 1,000 to 35.50 per 1,000 over this time period.
Moreover, a recent Swedish study showed a steady, statistically significant increase in the rate of same-day bilateral cataract surgery from January 2010 through December 2019. Most same-day procedures involved insertion of multifocal IOLs.
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IOA's Freind of Optometry Awardee for 1986 & Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar, Dies at 79
KRMG | By Sophia Tareen
September 14, 2025
CHICAGO — (AP) — Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar, a popular two-term Republican credited with guiding the state into a period of greater financial stability in the 1990s, died Sunday, according to his family. He was 79.
Edgar died from complications related to his treatment for pancreatic cancer, his family said in a statement. He publicly disclosed his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
“We are deeply grateful for the love, support and kindness so many have shown to Jim and our family over these last several months,” the statement said.
A former state legislator who was Illinois secretary of state for a decade, Edgar was elected governor in 1990. The moderate Republican easily won reelection, including winning heavily Democratic Cook County, where Chicago is located.
He remained a party statesman and adviser, and grew uneasy with the Republican Party's shift to the right. Edgar was among high-profile Republicans who did not support Donald Trump's presidency, joining a campaign to support Kamala Harris ′ bid for president last year called "Republicans for Harris."
Born in small-town Oklahoma, Edgar was much more reserved than his flashy, charming predecessor, James R. Thompson, who was the longest-serving governor in state history. At the time Edgar took office, the state was hundreds of millions of dollars in debt and paying its bills months late.
Amid a recession, Edgar pushed legislators to cut the state budget, making layoffs and cuts in popular programs. He also managed to fulfill his campaign promise of getting a temporary income tax surcharge made permanent, guaranteeing a stable source of money for public schools.
“It wasn’t always pretty how it was done, but we got a lot done,” Edgar told The Associated Press in 1998. “We went after some pretty tough issues. We didn’t get them all, but we got most of them.”
He surprised many political observers when he announced in 1997 that he would not seek a third term, considering his popularity. Republicans tried to draft him to run for office again, including bids for the U.S. Senate and again for Illinois governor. But he did not accept.
His stature in Illinois political history was further elevated after two consecutive successors, George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich, served time in prison for corruption.
Edgar went on to teach and served as president emeritus of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, among other things.
“By any standard, he was a Republican whose integrity guided his time in office and who managed one of the most successful periods in Illinois state government,” Bob Kustra, who served as Edgar's lieutenant governor, said in a statement.
Former Gov. Pat Quinn, a Democrat, praised Edgar's policies, including on education.
“Gov. Jim Edgar was a good and decent man who cared deeply about the people of Illinois,” Quinn said in a statement.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Sunday that flags in the state would fly at half-staff in Edgar's honor.
“Now more than ever, we should channel that spirit and resolve to live as Governor Edgar did: with honesty integrity, and an enduring respect for all,” Pritzker, a Democrat, said in a statement. “He will live on in the incalculable number of lives he touched and in the stronger institutions he helped build.”
Edgar is survived by his wife and two children.
His relatives said details on funeral plans would follow in the coming days.
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Illinois Prepares to Implement Work Requirements, Other Medicaid Changes with Little Federal Guidance
Health News Illinois | By Ryan Voyles
September 16, 2025
State leaders said they are working to prepare for the bevy of federally mandated changes coming to the Medicaid program, though federal guidance remains scant.
Provisions in the law signed earlier this summer by President Donald Trump include that states must implement work requirements for many adults without young children in the program by 2027. Members would have to work 80 hours a month.
Director Elizabeth Whitehorn said during a Health News Illinois event Monday in Chicago that they estimate that between 270,000 and 500,000 Illinoisans are expected to lose Medicaid coverage due to the work requirement, many due to the administrative burden.
She noted their current systems do not collect work requirements data, so they will likely have to undergo emergency procurements and hire more staff in order to implement the requirement.
“The state is going to have to spend money to do things that will ultimately result in loss of federal funding,” Whitehorn said.
Adding to the challenge, Whitehorn said the federal government has not been “forthcoming” with guidance related to the various provisions of the law. She noted that many employees at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have been let go as part of the Trump administration’s work to reduce federal staffing, which has created more confusion about implementation of the law.
An analysis by KFF found Illinois could lose $46 billion in federal Medicaid funding over the next 10 years due to the law. The majority of federal savings stem from Medicaid work requirements for some adults, as well as limits on states’ use of provider taxes to draw down more federal dollars.
HFS has said their internal projects for most of the provisions say the losses over the next decade will be at least $26 billion.
There are more than 3.4 million Illinoisans on Medicaid. Of those, Whitehorn said 44 percent are children, 9 percent are seniors and 7 percent are adults with disabilities.
Whitehorn and other panelists said they learned during the unwinding of the public health emergency and the process of redetermining the eligibility of all Medicaid enrollees about the value of coordination between state agencies, providers, Medicaid health plans and community-based organizations.
Jill Hayden, CEO of the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans, said she expects to see similar coordination regarding the work requirements and the six-month renewal process.
However, she said members will lose their coverage in the process, and she’s concerned about the “churn” of individuals losing their continuity of care, and insurers and providers being unable to follow the patient.
“Once you've got that person engaged in care coordination, the idea that you would lose them for administrative reasons, and then they may come on with a different health plan, and then have to go through a whole process of assessments and all of that… I think that's one of the biggest concerns,” Hayden said.
Stephanie Altman, of counsel and the former director of healthcare justice and senior director of policy at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, said the federal government has until next summer to issue the guidance.
Given the Trump administration's predisposition toward Illinois, she said they cannot expect to be granted any waivers or other exemptions to lessen the impact of the work requirements.
But Altman said states have been looking at work programs, training, vocational programs and community service programs to help individuals meet the requirements for coverage.
“I think that's something maybe broad and innovative the state could look at, that's more positive,” she said.
Whitehorn said they continue to wait-and-see how other notable provisions of the law, including the cap on provider taxes and state-directed payments, will affect the program. Those do not go into effect for several years, but are expected to cost Illinois billions of dollars in Medicaid funding.
“So hopefully that's where all of these national organizations are continuing to advocate with Congress to try to change those provisions or push them off even more,” she said.
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Gov. Pritzker Joins States to Defend Healthcare Access for Families
RiverBender | By State of Illinois Newsroom
September 18, 2025
CHICAGO - This week, Governor JB Pritzker joined a coalition of 17 other state governors, issuing a joint letter urging House Speaker Mike Johnson, Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Leader John Thune, and Leader Chuck Schumer to extend the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits (ePTCs).
With the tax credits set to expire at the end of the year and insurers already beginning to set 2026 rates, this united front of state leaders represents an effort to lock in lower premiums for working families. Without Congressional action, the effects of premium surges will be felt nationwide for years.
“For many hardworking families across Illinois, these tax credits keep affordable healthcare within reach,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Families shouldn’t have to choose between having healthcare and putting food on the table. Republicans in Congress had no issue cutting taxes for billionaires, so they should have no issue extending tax relief for their own constituents who will suffer if they expire. This shouldn’t be a partisan issue – it’s common sense.”
Governor Pritzker signed the letter alongside Governors of the states of Delaware, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin, making a crucial call to action to safeguard healthcare.
Allowing ePTCs to expire has the following devastating impacts:
- More Uninsured Americans: More people will be uninsured, because healthcare will no longer be affordable. ePTCs are widely credited with record levels of enrollment in ACA plans across the country by making ACA plans more affordable for working families. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that there will be 2.2 million newly uninsured people in 2026 alone due to the expiration of the tax credits.
- Insurance Premiums and Healthcare Costs will Continue to Rise for Everyone: The more uninsured people in the U.S., the more healthcare providers and insurers raise costs to compensate. This includes insurance premiums as well as costs of services through medical providers.
For those who remain enrolled in an ACA Marketplace plan, their costs will also rise. As a result of the Trump’s budget bill, ACA premiums are expected to rise by 75% for working families, with Illinoisans expected to pay an average of $1,032 more per year in premiums, and rural Illinoisans seeing an estimated $1,700 increase.
The ACA’s enhanced subsidies have been making healthcare more affordable for Americans since they were introduced in 2020, and they were renewed in 2022. Eliminating lifeline tax credits and spiking healthcare costs for Americans, all while lining the pocketbooks of the wealthiest, spells disaster for working families.
In addition to impacts to ACA, Trump’s budget bill will have devastating impacts on healthcare access in Illinois as a whole, including the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, stripping healthcare from an estimated 330,000 Illinoisans. Out-of-pocket expenses for Illinoisans enrolled in Medicaid are also expected to rise; Illinois couples earning just over $21,000 per year could pay over $1,000 more in annual medical costs. This law hits Illinois families in rural areas particularly hard, jeopardizing 9 rural hospitals and over 90 nursing homes and putting entire communities at risk of losing reliable, accessible care.
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Senator Bill Cunningham Will Not Seek Reelection in 2026
Capital News Illinois Reports that Illinois Senator Bill Cunningham will not seek reelection, his current term ends January 2027. Cunningham states he’s stepping away to spend more time with family. He also remarked that over his years in politics things have become more “combative and more cynical,” though he emphasizes this was more of a personal decision than anything else. Cunningham has been a major figure in Springfield since entering the General Assembly in 2011. Since 2020 he's served as Senate President Pro Tempore, and is one of the top leaders in the Senate. He is also Democratic co-chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, which oversees and reviews state agency rulemaking.
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Rep. Smith Won't Run For Reelection
Morrill & Fielder LLC announced that Rep. Nick Smith (D-Chicago), who represents Illinois’ 34th District, will not seek reelection.
"After much thought and careful consideration, I’ve decided not to seek reelection," Smith said. "Serving as a member of the Illinois General Assembly in the House of Representatives has been an honor of a lifetime. Serving the people of the 34th Representative District and the state of Illinois has been an absolute privilege. As I look forward to the next chapter in my life, I’m confident the next representative of the mighty 34th District will serve with distinction, integrity, and honor."
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House Antitrust Subcommittee Scrutinizes Vision Benefits Managers
CPI | By CPI
September 15, 2025
Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee, sent a letter to VSP Vision Care on Monday requesting a briefing about the company’s vertical integration strategies. According to a statement cited by the Washington Examiner, critics argue that VSP’s business practices put pressure on independent optometrist offices and limit consumer choice. VSP is the largest vision insurance provider in the United States, with about 82 million enrollees—more than two-thirds of the vision insurance market. In 21 states, the company holds more than 80 percent of the market share.
The letter signals an escalation in congressional scrutiny of the vision insurance industry. Per a statement from Fitzgerald, vertical integration practices by vision benefits managers may reduce competition, ultimately driving up costs, narrowing patient options, and restricting access to independent providers. His correspondence highlighted industry concerns that insurers frequently control or partner with downstream providers, including optical labs, frame and lens manufacturers, software firms, and optometry practices.
VSP has been at the center of these debates, accused of bundling and “tying in” arrangements that require optometrists to contract exclusively with certain vendors in order to remain in-network. According to Fitzgerald’s letter, such relationships may incentivize companies to “self-preference, steer, bundle, and tie” products and services, restricting independent practitioners’ flexibility.
The inquiry builds on earlier congressional actions. In August 2024, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) contacted then-Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan about alleged anticompetitive practices in the sector. Comer followed up in November 2024 with a request to then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to open a federal investigation.
Concerns about VSP’s market dominance have also surfaced in the courts. In 2023, California-based Total Vision sued the company, alleging it was required to purchase significant quantities of frames and lenses from VSP suppliers. The case was settled in the summer of 2024 but is still referenced by lawmakers as an example of the challenges tied to vertical integration in the industry. Fitzgerald’s letter cited the complaint’s assertion that VSP’s widespread influence made participation in its network essential for any optometry practice seeking to remain competitive.
The American Optometric Association has also clashed with VSP. Three months ago, the AOA issued a cease and desist letter, accusing the company of maintaining a pattern of anticompetitive conduct. Dr. Steven Reed, president of the AOA, said in a June press release that VSP’s model “sets up a downward spiral that ends badly for all involved.”
Fitzgerald has asked VSP to provide a detailed briefing to committee staff on its policies, including information about bundling, tying, and any conditions placed on independent optometrists to stay in-network.
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Check out the newest IOA classifieds here!
Northern IL:
Morrison IL Practice Seeking Part-time OD (Read more)
Great Full-time or Part-time Associate OD Opportunity Available in Melrose Park (Read more)
American Vision Center is Seeking Full or Part Time OD (Read more)
Full or Part Time Optometrist to Join Bush Family Eye Care Team (Read more)
Looking for an Optometrist to Join Team Full or Part-Time (Read more)
Optometrist Wanted at Trusted Practice (Read more)
Part-Time Opportunity at Low Vision Rehab Non-Profit (Read more)
Optometrist Needed in Algonquin & Mundelein (Read more)
Optometrist Needed in Western Chicago Suburbs (Read more)
Optometrist Needed in Glenview & Pingree Grove IL (Read more)
Full or Part time OD Needed in Multi-Location Practice (Read more)
Central IL:
Optometrist Opportunity – Advanced Medical Eye Care Practice (Read more)
Gailey Eye Clinic Seeking OD in Peoria/Galesburg (Read more)
OD Needed in Springfield IL (Read more)
Southern IL:
Join our Team and be Part of 100 Years of Optometry Excellence (Read more)
Optometrist Needed in Southern IL & Greater STL Area (Read more)
Out of State:
Join Our Dynamic and Growing Practice in Beautiful Door County, WI (Read more)
Para & Key Staff:
Join our team as a dedicated Optician- No Weekends Required (Read more)
Practices for Sale:
Long-established family owned private practice in the South Chicago Suburbs (Read more)
22-Year-Old Private Practice for Sale in Oak Brook, IL (Read more)
Practice for Sale in Peoria, IL (Read more)
Equipment for Sale:
Canno RK 5 Autorefractor-Keratometer-PD-retro- illumination (Read more)
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Illinois Optometric Association
217-525-8012
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