The new law prohibits vision care plans from mandating ODs use certain labs, materials or discounts on noncovered services to promote a free, open market.

Results of a recent AOA survey found that 60% of ODs were denied from a health plan and 30% from a vision plan, often for reasons that don’t apply to their ophthalmology counterparts.

Advocates call out the 2017 data from the first year of the CMS program as skewed.

Although Obamacare increased insurance coverage for Americans, that didn’t translate into improved and more equitable access to outpatient ophthalmic care.

Financial, logistical and awareness barriers were the most commonly cited reasons for underutilization.