PLEASE READ THIS DOCUMENT AND
VIEW THE LINKS!
Item #1: Vaccinations
“Massachusetts officials Monday outlined plans to ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations after what Governor Charlie Baker described as a state and national vaccine rollout burdened by “bumps.”
Shots for more than 45,000 first responders, such as police, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians, will start next Monday at sites across the state, including four regional vaccination hubs that later could be used to vaccinate others, Baker said.” (Boston globe; 1/5/2021)
Vaccinations are behind schedule. Below is the original schedule. Listed in order or priority.
Optometrists and their staff fall in the yellow highlighted section, at the end of phase one. Expect that this will now occur at the end of February or later.
The green highlighted area is our current vaccination stage.
The blue highlighted area is due to begin on January 11, 2021.
PHASE ONE: Originally scheduled from December 2020 to January 2021 (in order of priority)
· Clinical and non-clinical health care workers doing direct and COVID-19-facing care
· Long-term care facilities, rest homes, and assisted-living facilities
· Police, fire, and emergency medical services
· Congregate care settings, including homeless shelters, corrections facilities, and the staff who work there
· Home-based health care workers
· Health care workers doing non-COVID-19-facing care
Plans are being made, but not finalized, to use large spaces such as Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium and the Big E fairground in Springfield, to name a few as vaccination sites.
Item #2: The Telehealth Reform Legislation
Our Massachusetts Scope of Practice bill was signed on January 1, 2021 as part of a larger telehealth reform bill. It becomes law 90 days after the Governor signs the bill.
The bill allows for treatment of glaucoma and prescription of oral medications in schedules 3,4,5,& 6,excluding opioids, for treatment of eye related illnesses.
There is both a didactic and clinical aspect of the educational component of the bill. There is still much to be determined and we will be rolling out instructions over time, as things develop...stay tuned.
In addition to scope enhancement the law allows for continued payments of telehealth visits.
It also has a patient protection aspect to end the practice of surprise bills from out of network providers. Optometrists (all medical professionals are included in this) should be examining their referral sources. Reach out to doctors you refer to and chronicle which insurance companies they are providers for and whether they have participating or non-participating status in each insurance.
To read this bill open the link below. The scope language begins on line 412:
Item #3: Massachusetts Optometry Licenses
License renewal notifications will be mailed and will contain your assigned authorization code. Make certain to update all pertinent contact information on your license renewal. If you have not received your renewal notification by mid-January, use the link below to receive your authorization code.
We realize these are anxious times. The MSO staff will send out information as we learn of it. Please utilize our messaging and read all the pertinent information so you remain well informed.
Thank you,
Wayne E. Zahka, O.D.
Executive Director, MSO
