PA Senate votes to expand Medicare; Bill's future in House uncertain

In a 40-10 vote, the AP (7/1, Levy) reports, “The Pennsylvania state Senate approved legislation to require Gov. Tom Corbett to seek federal approval for an expansion of Medicaid eligibility to hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians, although it faces death in the more conservative House of Representatives where Republican leaders have vowed not to bring it to a floor vote.” The AP adds, “All 23 Democrats voted for it, as did 17 of 27 Republican senators,” including Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) and Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware). The AP notes, “Corbett has been silent on the bill, although Senate Republican and Democratic leaders say they negotiated the amendment with Corbett’s office, and wrote certain conditions into it to make it more amenable to him, as well as Republican lawmakers who might otherwise oppose the health care law.”

PCMHs and ACOs are Forming in Pennsylvania

March 27, 2013. Drs. Paul Lobby (left) and Greg Caldwell (right), from POA’s Third Party Center, meet with Dr. Paul Kaplan, Vice President of Strategy and Integration of PCMH and ACO, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.

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I share this photo with our members for many reasons. As a past president of the Pennsylvania Optometric Association, I wanted to point out an advocacy meeting for optometry that occurred while most of our members were seeing patients on March 27, 2013. Drs. Paul Lobby (left) and Greg Caldwell (right), volunteers for POA’s Third Party Center, met Dr. Paul Kaplan (middle), the vice president of strategy and integration of PCMH and ACO for Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Window Tinting Requirements

In Pennsylvania, the level of sun screening (window tinting) acceptable under current regulations is a minimum of 70% light transmittance. This means that 70% of light contacting the window must pass through the window. The current regulations, adopted by PennDOT in 1996, also eliminate the requirement that sun screening be checked at the time of inspection; however vehicle owners who have sun screening materials that exceed the light transmittance requirements may be stopped and cited while operating the vehicle on the highway.

Prescription Requirements in Pennsylvania

Each state has its own requirements for spectacle, contact lens and pharmaceutical prescriptions. In Pennsylvania, prescription requirements are contained in several sections of the Pennsylvania Code. In addition, there are federal regulations for contact lens prescriptions and separate requirements for tamper-resistant pads for prescriptions written for Medicaid recipients. While some requirements are common among the three types of prescriptions optometrists write, others are specific.

Optometry Heeded in Washington, D.C. and State Capitals: Full Eye Health Coverage for Children to be Nationwide Priority in 2014

A recent state-by-state analysis of health plans to be offered under the 2010 health care law indicates that nearly all states will feature a pediatric vision care benefit that is based on an annual comprehensive eye exam provided by an eye doctor and is embedded with other benefits as part of the overall health insurance plan.