Asking Family for Money
 
My brother John and I grew up in a family where money was extremely tight. We didn’t have the luxury of separate bedrooms or multiple cars, and going out to dinner consisted of going to my Aunt Margaret and Uncle Vic’s house, not to a restaurant.  We never went to a restaurant, besides, when you grow up in an Italian household, nothing could compare to home cooking. Remembering back, my parents never asked us if we needed money, they just knew … of course we did. Coming home from college my Dad and Uncle Vic would always try to palm us some money and after saying no several times, we would reluctantly take it. We never had to ask our family for money, if they could help us, they would…without question…and they did! I’m sure most of you can relate. As we became successful, we were happy to be able to help them. It wasn’t an obligation, that’s what families do!
 
But sometimes, you have to ask your family for money, your FOA family! As I have been making my way around the state, I have been asking, and many of you have been giving! Thank you! There are several ways you can help the FOA family:
1)Please take the on-line oral therapeutics course;
2)Please become a sustaining contributor to OD-EYEPAC; and
3)Please recruit at least 1 non-member to join FOA (We are launching an exciting new “Be One Get One” Campaign which will give you a discount on your dues! Details are explained below).
 
If you haven’t been contacted yet to donate to an election campaign or become a contributor to OD-EYEPAC, expect a call. However, if you would like to be spared the awkwardness, pick up the phone and call the FOA office, or go to the FOA website and donate online. You don’t have to ask if we need it….of course we do! It’s not an obligation, that’s what families do!
 
 
Barry J. Frauens, O.D., F.A.A.O.
President – Florida Optometric Association




BOGO 2.0

Membership has always been an important topic, and once again the FOA board would like to impress upon optometrists the importance of joining our association.  Many ask why and how the FOA can or will help. The FOA protects all ODs regardless of mode of practice. The commercial optometrists benefit from the independent practice act.  They can practice as they chose and not have their rights and roles dictated to them.  All optometrists benefit from the protection of our ability to co-manage surgery, treat glaucoma and our newly won ability to prescribe oral medications. The FOA board feels so strongly about membership that we have decided to bring back and revamp the “Be One Get One” campaign.

Be One Get One will now offer incentives to those who recruit new members and retain their involvement for a full year. We always speak of grassroot efforts when it comes to politics, but this time we want it to apply to our recruiting efforts.  Talk to the OD in your area who may have been a member of another state association and just didn't actively pursue it since moving into the area; talk to the established OD who may have just dropped out due to time; talk to the new OD who just graduated but forgot to take the appropriate steps to stay involved; or the OD who was disenfranchised for one reason or another.  We all practice optometry and all need our profession to thrive and advance.

BOGO 2.0 takes effect on November 1.  Let the recruiting begin!

BOGO 2014-2015 Details:

Each member recruiter will receive a $200.00 credit towards FOA dues for each active paying new member or reinstated member they personally recruit to join the FOA.

Rules:

1. The FOA Membership Coordinator will confirm any new members and will notify the local society.
2. Member recruiter name must be on the new member application on the “referred by” line.
3. The dues credit will be issued to the recruiter after the new member has paid his or her first 12 consecutive months dues.
4. FOA members may recruit new members without regard to local society where recruit will be a member.
5. The dues credit(s) will not exceed the maximum of the recruiting member’s total yearly dues and will not create a dues credit for the next calendar year.
6.  Open to all FOA members in good standing.
7. Reinstated members must be a nonmember for a full year (four consecutive quarters) in order to qualify as new BOGO member.
8. The FOA Membership Coordinator will e-mail recruiter/local membership director once a new member is activated.
9. The new member must be of “dues paying” member status the year the dues credit is issued to the recruiting member. (Therefore new graduate recruits must maintain membership into their second year to qualify)

Adam Stelzer, O.D. and Bryan Stam, O.D. 

As most of you know, the use of Prokera by the optometric physician is now allowed. It is important to note, however, that not all the third party payers have updated their software to reflect this. Although the FOA is notifying all third party payers including Medicare, Medicaid and private payers, their ability to implement your reimbursement may not yet be in action. All third party payer software systems are at various levels of adaptation to this treatment plan. It is not always just as easy as flipping a switch with some software programs needing to be completely re-written. Your FOA third party committee highly recommends you contact the patient's carrier first and request from them their status on ability to pay for this treatment. By doing so you will save you and your patient a lot of problems. 

 The Medicaid managed care conversion is complete as of this past August. Fee for service Medicaid has been outsourced to almost 100% complete managed care. The private companies are in the business of managing care. Most  have business practices in place that may not be friendly to providers and/or contract recipients. By narrowing provider panels and decreasing reimbursements, they can achieve their business plan of managing care. These capitation plans are allowed to implement these business practices, and although it may appear as provider discrimination, it is happening to all forms of providers and does not result in one type of provider being eliminated.

 Our only mechanism for invoking change is through the legislative process. It is only by having a strong association that we can continue to advocate for our patients and help sway business practices that are more patient and provider friendly. So, my thanks to all FOA members. I ask that you recruit one of your colleagues to do the same. Your responsibility does not end there, however. It is even more important that you support ODEYEPAC. Then go recruit a colleague, FOA member or not, to join ODEYEPAC. It is easy to do; go to the FOA website, update your personal contact information, and commit to a monthly contribution to ODEYEPAC. If we are all committed to do this, our position in health care reform is greatly advanced.