AOA seeks support to fight the legislation.
The American Optometric Association is speaking out against a newly proposed bill called the “Truth in Healthcare Marketing Act.”
The group says the legislation “is less concerned about bolstering public health and patient navigation than it is about attempting to confuse the public with the end goal of limiting competition among qualified providers.” The bill was introduced by Rep. Larry Buchson (R-Ind.).
“In true Washington, D.C., fashion, hiding just beneath the benign-sounding ‘Truth in Healthcare Marketing Act’ lies an organized medicine and ophthalmology plot aimed at nothing less than demeaning the profession, confusing the public and trying to slow optometry’s growing role in American health care,” said Dr. Christopher J. Quinn, AOA president. “Through the Buschon Bill, organized medicine and ophthalmology are aiming to eliminate our physician and doctor status, confuse patients and the public regarding our education and abilities, and enlist the federal government in medicine’s long-sought goal of limiting competition from doctors of optometry and others.”
The bill is called H.R. 3928.
Quinn added: “We’ve beat back this effort before and we’ll do so again with your help. Please commit now to working more closely with AOA in this fight, through investing in AOA-PAC and through working with us to reach out directly to your U.S. House member.”
Read more at AOA