2014 Legislative Session Begins Next Week

The 2014 Legislative Session officially begins next Tuesday, March 4, 2014. The FMA has provided the Florida Society of Ophthalmology with some important fact sheets and informational tools relative to the major legislative issues that will be addressed during the upcoming session.

1. Fact Sheet on Nurse Practitioners/Independent Practice

2. A Scope of Practice Comparison Wheel of Health Professionals

3. Fact Sheet on the FMA's Insurance Reform Package Legislation (HB 1001)

4. A copy of the FMA’s Insurance Reform Package, House Bill (HB) 1001 by Rep. Jason Brodeur

Throughout session, the FSO will keep members updated on important legislative news via the FSO website, email alerts and faxes as needed.

Florida Society of Ophthalmology Co-Sponsors Vision Summit at Florida State Capitol

Tallahassee-The Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO) co-sponsored the Eighth Annual Florida Vision Summit today at the Florida State Capitol. The Vision Summit, hosted by the Florida Legislature's Vision Caucus and the Florida Association of Agencies Serving the Blind (FAASB), educates those living with vision loss and promotes the importance of maintaining early-intervention services for blind babies.

"Our mission at the Florida Society of Ophthalmology is to promote the highest standard of eye care throughout the state of Florida, and participating in the annual Vision Summit is a proud tradition for our society and our physician members," said Jaime Membreno, MD, President of the FSO. "We are grateful for the efforts of our colleagues at the FAASB for educating Florida families about the resources available to blind and visually-impaired individuals."

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Masters in Ophthalmology 2013 Annual Meeting Slides and Recordings Now Available

FSO members have special access to download slides and recordings from the Masters in Ophthalmology 2013 Annual Meeting. Presentations available include:

• Edward Buckley, MD‒Disruptive Innovation: Predicting the Future of Medicine
• Edward Buckley, MD‒Orbital Mass in Children
• Steven A. Newman, MD‒Imaging in Ophthalmology
• Steven A. Newman, MD‒Neuro-ophthalmic Diagnosis Not to Miss
• Steven I. Rosenfeld, MD‒Closed Claims Study and Areas Where Medical Malpractice Occurs

Please click HERE, and you will be directed to the FSO community login page. Once logged in, you will be directed to the slides and audio.

Approved Co-Management Consent Forms

There has been a recent change in the Florida law regarding co-management of patients. The new law took effect on July 1, 2013. The Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO) and its general counsel have worked closely with OMIC to develop two sample forms to aid you in compliance with the new law.

You should consult with your own personal attorney if you have specific questions regarding your co-management practices and to ensure billing protocols comply with these requirements.

Patient-Specific Transfer of Care Letter from Surgeon

Patient Informed Consent to Co-Management of Postoperative Care

Guidance on the New Affordable Care Act Childhood Vision Care Benefit

As the Affordable Care Act insurance programs began open enrollment Oct. 1, and many uninsured parents begin signing up for new health plans, the Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO) and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) – in conjunction with other key health organizations – are reiterating their guidance on the importance of childhood vision screening and comprehensive eye exams, and encouraging parents to take advantage of a newly acquired benefit that provides full coverage of essential eye care services for kids.

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Denied Claims to NCCI Edits

First Coast Service Options, Inc. (First Coast), the Medicare Administrative Contractor for jurisdiction 9 (MAC J9) which includes Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, is aware of the issue related to the inappropriate claim denials for certain eye visit services (92012/92014), when the codes are billed with other services performed on the same date of service and appended with modifier 25. A July 2013 NCCI edit has the services 92012 or 92014 bundled into column one CPT/HCPCS codes that describe surgical procedures with a global period of 0, 10, or 90 days. However, the computer system is not recognizing the applicable modifiers that allows bypass of the edit.

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Cataract Informed Consent Form

The Florida Society of Ophthalmology seeks to better protect ophthalmologists and our patients throughout the informed consent process, particularly in the area of cataract surgery. Because Florida law currently fails to describe the recognized risks of cataract surgery, a substantial number of "recognized risks" associated with cataract surgery continue to be improperly reported to regulators as "Code 15" adverse incidents.

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