The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced it has reinstated bevicizumab (Avastin) as an option to treat wet AMD. The VA now will permit one patient dose per manufacturer's vial of Avastin. On Sept. 2, the VA said it would cease ophthalmic use of Avastin pending an internal investigation into infections in its facilities. The VA has determined that the adverse events were not related to the drug itself.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) today released the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The rule reflects a 1 percent increase in Medicare reimbursement for ophthalmologists as a result of a scheduled increase in practice expenses, advanced by the Academy and first implemented in 2010. The increase, however, will be eclipsed by a 30 percent cut driven by the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula on Jan. 1, unless Congress takes action to stop it.

This is a checklist of requirements for renewing Medical Licenses with the Florida Board of Medicine.

Registration opens Monday for the Academy's Congressional Advocacy Day, April 25 and 26 in Washington, D.C. The Capitol Hill event gives Academy members the opportunity to meet with senators and representatives to discuss key ophthalmology issues, including the need for a permanent Medicare physician pay fix and passage of truth-in-advertising legislation.