Ophthalmologists and Optometrists reach agreement on statutory clarifications
After several months of discussions over what procedure codes were approved for optometric practice, an agreement has been reached that clarifies the law, provides necessary guidance to payors and avoids a contentious scope of practice battle in the legislature.
The Kansas Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, the Kansas Medical Society and the Kansas Optometric Association have been working over the past year to address a problem that arose when the Medicare carrier for the region Kansas is in (WPS) began denying certain procedure codes, including many that were within current optometric licensure. That action created practice disruptions throughout the state, which caused the Kansas Optometric Association to consider opening up their practice act to amend their scope of practice to address the problem in the coming legislative session.
The groups all felt that it was in the best interest of patient care for the professions to try to find common ground, and approach the legislature with a consistent message about solving the problem. After quite a bit of discussion, the groups agreed the procedure code issue could be addressed with some clarifying language added to the optometric practice act. The changes would retain the prohibition on surgery and the use of injectable or general anesthesia, but would make it clear that optometrists could remove non-perforating foreign bodies from the cornea, conjunctiva or eyelid; remove eyelashes; scrape the cornea for diagnostic tests, smears or cultures; dilate, probe, irrigate or close by punctual plug the tear drainage structures of the eye; express conjunctival follicles or cysts; debride the corneal epithelium; and co-manage post-operative care.
Special thanks go out to the following KMS/KSEPS members for their efforts on this matter: Paul Weishaar, MD (Wichita), Ken Frank, MD (Ottawa), Gary Weiner, MD (Salina), and Frank Griffith, MD (Salina). Thanks also go out to the leadership of the Kansas Optometric Association for their willingness to work with KMS and KSEPS to address this issue in a collaborative manner.
