Volume 9, Issue 17│May 2, 2025

ASSOCIATION NEWS

The IOA Board of Directors came together this week for a meeting at the IOA office in Springfield.

Volunteers Needed for Special Olympics Lions Club International Opening Eyes Program Coming June 20 & 21, ISU Campus Normal, IL! 🚩

Volunteers Needed

Last year was the twenty-first year that optometry was represented at the Illinois State Special Olympic Games held in Bloomington/Normal in June. 248 athletes were appraised at the event, and 127 pieces of eyewear were prescribed, whether it be an everyday Rx, or a sports goggle. The event was a great success for both the athletes who participated and the volunteers who made it run so smoothly!!

This year we will be doing it again, and we need your help! We had 15 optometrists, 4 opticians/ophthalmic techs, and students from both the Illinois College of Optometry and the Chicago College of Optometry. We also had a great turn-out of LIONS club volunteers along with many friends and family members. This year we need you! Of particular need are volunteers for Saturday, since it is a full day of screening. Bring your family, friends, and staff and make it a group activity!! We are always in need of opticians and optical technicians as well!

The Special Olympics is an international program of year-round sports and athletic competitions for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. All of the athletes must be at least eight years old to participate. The goal of the Special Olympics Lions Club International Opening Eyes Program is to bring quality vision care to this special population. Our vision appraisal consists of visual acuity testing, cover test, extraocular motility testing, pupils, color vision, stereopsis, non-contact tonometry, slit lamp evaluation, and ophthalmoscopy. If the athlete is determined to need glasses, they are given a full refraction with subjective testing. Afterwards all athletes are referred to their local optometrists for full vision examinations, including dilations.

This year’s event will take place on the Illinois State College Campus in Bloomington/Normal on Friday, June 20 from 12:00 – 4:00 pm, and Saturday, June 21 from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Friends, family, and optometric staff (especially opticians) are encouraged to participate. Please help us in making this year’s SOOE program as successful as the past twenty-one years have been!!

If you have any questions, please contact Christine Allison, O.D. via email at callison@ico.edu

Volunteer form

MEMBER BENEFITS

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.

Donate here

MEMBER BENEFIT: Labor Law Posters

As a valued member of the IOA, you have access to the most up-to-date Federal and Illinois Labor Law posters. These are essential for maintaining compliance in your workplace.

Access here

Medicare Fee Schedules:

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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.

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Access the Labor Law Posters

Report illegal and unsafe contact lens sales to the FDA & FTC

5/13- Young Professionals Event

5/15- Chicago North Side Optometric Society Meeting

6/9- Southwestern IL Optometric Society Meeting

6/10- IVOS Meeting & CE

7/8- IVOS Meeting & CE

Report Vision Plan Abuses to the IOA

The IOA recognizes that Vision Care Plan Regulation Act constitutes a significant stride forward for optometry. However, it doesn't signal the conclusion of our efforts to champion fair contracting with vision plans. In the next few years, our members will be renewing and amending their contracts to reflect the changes in the new law. Throughout this process, we will gain valuable insight directly from our members regarding instances of vision plan abuses.

If you encounter vision plan abuses, we ask that you fill out the form below to report abuse. The IOA will collect this information to prevent further vision plan abuses on behalf of our members.

Vision Plan Abuse reporting form

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.

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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AOA NEWS

North Dakota Secures Telemedicine Provisions, Ignites Grassroots Advocacy

— Pivotal new law establishes crucial safeguards and accountability for optometric telemedicine services but revitalizes grassroots engagement and strengthens the future of care in North Dakota along the way.

AOA | Staff

April 24, 2025

A strategic move to modernize North Dakota’s scope of practice act to add telemedicine provisions, as well as grant greater board autonomy, resulted in a twofold win for the profession—not only a new law but also a rejuvenated grassroots movement.

Signed into law on March 24 by Gov. Kelly Armstrong, HB 1267 primarily establishes clear and comprehensive guidelines for optometric telemedicine services with amendments to the state’s scope act to expand the North Dakota Board of Optometry’s authority. The product of a two-year collaborative effort by the North Dakota Optometric Association (NDOA) and the state board, HB 1267 addresses the growing need for clear guidelines in remote eye care while simultaneously marking a powerful resurgence of grassroots engagement within North Dakota.

“This is a big win for North Dakota in so many ways,” says Kim Hacker, NDOA executive director. “We were successful in the passage of a bill to enhance safety and accountability around optometric telemedicine, but we did so much more.”

Opening the scope of practice act

Recognizing that North Dakota’s existing scope of practice act had remained untouched for over two decades, NDOA and the board jointly identified the need to define and implement clear guardrails for telemedicine services. A direct response to the increasing prevalence of online platforms delivering inconsistent, potentially substandard remote services, the guardrails would help ensure North Dakotans continue to receive quality patient care as technology permeates.

Envisaged as a relatively straightforward bill, one that could help reestablish optometry’s presence in Bismark, HB 1267 encountered favorable support and no opposition—until a week before its hearing. That’s when the NDOA’s legislative team received word that ophthalmology intended to introduce an amendment defining and limiting optometric surgical procedures. In the eleventh hour, HB 1267 became a scope battle and the NDOA’s membership stepped up in a big way.

“We created an absolute uproar in the state’s ophthalmology community—it was absolutely incredible what your membership can do,” Hacker says. “We had no idea the power our membership could have.”

In rallying its members, the NDOA urged doctors to contact not only the legislators in their districts but also their referring ophthalmologists. Optometry wasn’t going for a scope expansion, but ophthalmology was using an amendment to define another profession’s procedures. Nowhere else would that be permissible, and North Dakota’s legislators agreed.

HB 1267 passed with overwhelming majorities in both the House and Senate before receiving the governor’s signature weeks later. Now, the law is slated to take effect this summer.

“Our members’ willingness to step up when called upon was truly incredible and we saw the passion our membership has for their profession,” Hacker says. “We built lasting relationships at the capitol and walked away from session with a positive reputation, and as many of you know, that’s half the battle.”

Tapping into advocates’ support network

The powerful display of the NDOA’s membership unity and advocacy proved instrumental in countering the proposed amendments, but it also couldn’t have come without the strategic engagement and support of fellow advocates.

Guiding the NDOA’s newly formed legislative committee was the AOA’s State Government Relations Committee (SGRC) and advocates in nearby state affiliates, providing timely assistance not only throughout the legislation’s progression but also before the bill was even introduced.

North Dakota’s advocates met with SGRC members at multiple points, including attending an AOA SGRC Regional Advocacy Meeting in Dallas that provided the state’s legislative team the actionable knowledge and opportunity to plan their strategy.

“That was more instrumental for us as a group—everybody stepped up and learned together,” Hacker says. “We leaned on SGRC in a significant way, as well as our fellow affiliates, and for that we couldn’t be more grateful.”

What is the AOA SGRC?

The SGRC provides information, guidance, advice and resource assistance in all areas of state legislation and regulation affecting the profession of optometry to individual AOA members and affiliate associations, as well as to state legislators, regulators, third-party payers and more. As a comprehensive resource for state affiliates’ political activities, the SGRC also:

Serves as both a political and legislative resource for state affiliates.
Monitors state laws and regulations relating to the practice of optometry.
Monitors the impact that federal laws and regulations may have on state activities.
Maintains a database of state laws and regulations, as well as other comparative and analytical optometric legislative and regulatory databases.

In addition to one-on-one affiliate consultations, the SGRC annually hosts regional advocacy meetings that promote collaboration among state advocacy teams, seasoned veterans and emerging leaders. For three years, these workshop-style meetings have featured panel discussions with advocacy experts, legislators and guest speakers, tackling topical content that can help affiliates’ advocacy.

Interested in elevating your state’s advocacy? Save these dates for the 2025 AOA SGRC Regional Advocacy Meetings:

Aug. 15-16 | Chicago, Illinois
Oct. 24-25 | Phoenix, Arizona

View report

INDUSTRY NEWS

Bill to End Mandatory Prophylaxis for Newborn Eye Infections Sent to W.Va. Governor

Healio | By Justin Cooper

April 25, 2025

A bill recently passed by the West Virginia legislature would undo the state’s mandate for newborns to receive prophylaxis against ophthalmia neonatorum, a potentially blindness-causing eye infection.

As of April 23, House Bill 3444 was headed to Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s desk, with the possibility of being signed into law.

According to Prevent Blindness, most U.S. states currently require that all newborns have an antibiotic ointment — typically erythromycin — applied to their eyes to prevent infection, known as ophthalmia neonatorum, passed from mother to child during birth. If untreated, the most serious of these infections, caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, could rapidly lead to corneal scarring and perforation and blindness.

Valerie M. Kattouf, OD, FAAO, associate professor of optometry at Illinois College of Optometry, told Healio that the cost of potential eye infections in infants not given prophylaxis “far outweighs the cost of the use of the ointment.

“It is clear and understandable that the public’s trust has diminished in regard to public health officials and mandates, but this particular issue seems quite futile,” Kattouf said, noting that erythromycin “has minimal to zero risk profile, is effective and inexpensive, and prevents mild non-sight-threatening and sight-threatening infections.

“I believe it will be used quite routinely even if the mandate is taken away,” she added.

Preventing ophthalmia neonatorum was a driving force behind the founding of Prevent Blindness in 1908. In an interview, Jeff Todd, the group’s president and CEO, defended the concept of mandatory prophylaxis.

“A mandate ensures that all infants, regardless of socioeconomic background or parental awareness, receive the same evidence-based care,” Todd said. “This isn’t about government overreach; it’s about safeguarding children from avoidable harm, particularly when the intervention is a noninvasive, proven one.

“Our concern is that a policy shift in one state — especially related to a long-standing and successful public health intervention — could prompt similar, unwarranted changes in others,” he added.

Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A, emeritus professor at Illinois College of Optometry/Illinois Eye Institute, described the proposal to remove West Virginia’s mandate as “sheer folly.”

He told Healio, “Of all the medical procedures, this has to be one of the most cost-effective interventions we have. The efficacy has been shown time and again, and there’s just no medical reason not to do it for the benefit gained.”

Republican West Virginia state delegate Evan Worrell, who introduced the bill, did not respond to a request for comment.

The CDC recommends the application of erythromycin as soon as possible after both vaginal and cesarean deliveries.

In 2019, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reaffirmed its recommendation for universal prophylaxis against gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum, the most serious form of infection. The organization said that erythromycin was effective in preventing the infection and was not associated with serious harm, adding that cost was not a factor in its assessment.

On the other hand, the Canadian Paediatric Society said prophylaxis “should not be routinely recommended” in a position statement it reaffirmed in January 2024.

The organization noted that topical prophylaxis is not effective against the chlamydial form of ophthalmia neonatorum, which is currently the most common form in the U.S. It added that ophthalmia neonatorum caused by either gonorrhea or chlamydia has significantly declined in North America, coinciding with decreases of both infections in the general population and the institution of routine screening and treatment during pregnancy.

The United Kingdom and other high-income countries have also done away with mandatory prophylaxis, the organization added.

In March, Idaho enacted a law that modifies the state’s existing mandate, including by using the term “ocular antibiotic prophylaxis” in place of “germicide.”

“As we understand it, the bill does not substantively change their mandate but simply updates the language,” Todd said.

Alternative to Anti-VEGF Shows Safety, Efficacy in Diabetic Macular Edema

— Adverse events with UBX1325 similar to sham

MedPage Today | By Randy Dotinga

April 25, 2025

A single intravitreal injection of UBX1325 (foselutoclax), a novel senolytic small molecule inhibitor, had a tolerable safety profile and "trends suggestive of potential efficacy" in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) who failed to optimally respond to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment, a phase II sham-controlled trial showed.

Among 65 patients followed for up to 48 weeks, five grade 3 or higher treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in the UBX1325 group, all of which were considered serious, while four TEAEs occurred in the sham group, three of which were considered serious, reported Przemyslaw Sapieha, PhD, of UNITY Biotechnology in San Francisco, and colleagues in NEJM Evidence.

In regard to efficacy, a secondary outcome, the difference between UBX1325 and sham in mean change to week 48 in best-corrected visual acuity was 5.6 more Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters (95% CI -1.5 to 12.7).

The drug "seems to have a safer profile than anti-VEGF, and it led to sustained improvements in vision lasting up to a year," Sapieha told MedPage Today.

He pointed out that frequent anti-VEGF injections into the eye can be a significant burden, and many patients with DME are of working age. In addition, anti-VEGF agents can cost thousands of dollars per injection, and patients may need monthly treatments.

UBX1325 works by eliminating cells that become dysfunctional in DME and produce inflammatory factors, Sapieha said, adding that the mean vision improvements in the study are clinically significant, equal to a line of vision, and subgroups with less severe cases gained 10-15 letters.

A small pilot study previously showed that UBX1325 achieved sustained improvement in visual acuity in patients with DME or neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

ILLINOIS NEWS

Cunningham to Retire as Medicaid Administrator

Health News Illinois | By Ryan Voyles

May 2, 2025

Illinois Medicaid Administrator Kelly Cunningham said Friday she will retire at the end of June.

Cunningham has overseen the program since March 2020.

“I love Medicaid, I love the people that I had the opportunity to work with,” Cunningham told members of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ Medicaid Advisory Committee. “I feel very humbled, and I really want to express my gratitude to all of you for having had the opportunity to be in this position.”

HFS Director Elizabeth Whitehorn said Laura Phelan will begin as the new Medicaid administrator on July 1.

Phelan has been at the agency since 2015 and serves as deputy director for new initiatives.

“(I’m) looking forward to continuing to work with everyone at HFS and all of our partners and stakeholders,” Phelan said.

Cook County Health Center Opens in Bronzeville

Block Club Chicago | By Jamie Nesbitt Golden

Apr 23, 2025

A long-dormant Bronzeville office building is now a county-run heath clinic.

Several Cook County board members — including board President Toni Preckwinkle — and hospital administrators were on hand Tuesday to celebrate the opening of the newest facility to join the county’s health network in the former Lake Meadows Professional Building, 467 E. 31st St.

The 26,000-square-foot clinic, an extension of Provident Hospital in Washington Park, is one of 14 outpatient facilities in the city and surrounding suburbs offering family medicine and behavioral health, along with physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Staff expect to see 85,000 patients in its first year, officials said.

The clinic aims to help people in Bronzeville and beyond regardless of their ability to pay.

Provident’s family medicine and behavioral health practices have been moved from the hospital’s Sengstacke Health Center to the clinic, which offers a larger space to better serve people and more clinical space for the hospital to expand its services.

The health center’s family medicine practice provides a range of reproductive health care, including birth control, pregnancy testing, STI testing and treatment, family planning education and prenatal care.

Preckwinkle praised the hard work of all those involved while invoking Bronzeville’s storied past and Provident’s contribution to the neighborhood’s legacy as it forged a legacy of its own, noting how the hospital served Black residents at the height of segregation.

City of Chicago Joins Nationwide Coalition in Lawsuit to Challenge the Trump Administration's Unlawful Firing of Federal Employees

City of Chicago | Mayor's Press Release

Apr 29, 2025

CHICAGO — The City of Chicago joined a coalition of cities, counties, union organizations, and non-profit groups in opposing the Trump administration’s unlawful reorganization of the federal government, arguing that the President does not possess the authority to dismantle, downsize, or otherwise transform federal agencies without Congressional approval. The Trump Administration’s actions violate the separation of powers, and the complaint seeks to stop this unconstitutional overreach, which is already disrupting essential city services.

"I am proud that Chicago is taking this stand with cities, counties, and workers from across the country," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "The Trump Administration's plan to gut the federal government threatens our way of life and would significantly impact our ability to keep residents and communities safe and healthy. We cannot abide by that. With this lawsuit, we uphold our duty to come together and decisively call out the reckless dismantling of our government."

The case seeks a court’s intervention to stop the implementation of the President’s unlawful Executive Order 14210 (“Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative”), which requires federal agencies to conduct mass firings and reorganize their structure—all without Congressional authorization. The coalition makes clear in the complaint that the President does not have constitutional authority to unilaterally reorganize the federal government.

President Trump’s government restructuring is already having an impact on city functions. Federal agencies play a crucial role in emergency response, public safety, environmental protection, and public health. The administration’s attempt to dismantle these institutions will leave Chicago without the critical resources needed to protect residents.

FEDERAL NEWS

US Supreme Court Sides with HHS in Dispute Over Reimbursement for Needy Patients

Reuters | By Diana Novak Jones

April 29, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a lawsuit brought by more than 200 hospitals that serve low-income populations that had challenged the government’s method of determining the hospitals’ compensation.

In a 7-2 opinion authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the majority held that HHS’ method of determining when to provide additional Medicare reimbursement to hospitals that serve disproportionately low-income populations was in line with Congress’ intent.

The case focused on how to reimburse hospitals for care provided to low-income patients. The court said Congress' language in the statute governing how to adjust reimbursement rates made clear that the patient has to receive a payment from a certain federal assistance program — not just be eligible for it — to be counted.

The hospitals, which are located in 32 states, had challenged that methodology, saying it shortchanged them on Medicare funding by about $1.5 billion per year between 2006 and 2009 and contributed to the closure of rural hospitals.

A spokesperson for HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither did an attorney representing the hospitals.