Blog vol 3. 43. Resolution of OHIP negotiations: the essentials
Interesting word, “resolution”, the prefix “re”, with the word “solution”. After many years of little to no conversation between the Ontario government and the Optometrists of Ontario, we finally have a workable agreement.
Back in September 2022, we received our first pay raise since 1989. Since then, the billing codes were reworked to reflect changes in health care, and… a final solution!
What does this look like? The changes that affect the public are as follows:
*Partial exams for insured people are no longer unlimited but have been cut back to two visits a year.
*The medical exemptions allowing for OHIP paid eye exams for those between 20 and 64 years have been tightened up. After gathering a lot of billing data, the government found that some conditions do not require coverage. At the same time, conditions like diabetes and glaucoma will be covered more than ever, reflecting Optometry’s growing role in the treatment of these conditions.
*Adults 65 and older are covered for full eye exams every 18 months instead of every 12. The media has highlighted this change and expressed concern about the level of care now available to this age group. We at Burlington Eyecare agree that annual eye care is important for people in this group and will continue to book annually with a full exam every two years and a screening exam in between, but if the patient so desires and if no concerns are present, a full exam every 18 months can be booked.
*The billing for visual field tests has been limited. These are very valuable diagnostic tools for many prevalent eye conditions and may need to be paid for by the patient.
As with any agreement, the final resolution is arrived at when both parties are equally uncomfortable with the end result. The implications and actual effects of the changes will become more clear as we work to implement them.
The pay raise goes into effect April 1st, 2023, and the changes to billing will start Sept.1st, allowing time to reschedule and rethink our lives.
From all of us at Burlington Eyecare, we are committed to providing the best possible care and providing it to all who show up at our door (as always).
‘til next week,
the good doctor
