6 AOA ADVOCACY WINS IN 2025 THAT SET THE STAGE FOR 2026

The following information was released by the American Optometric Association:

Check out these crucial wins that AOA achieved for doctors and patients in 2025 as advocates look to March 15-17 for AOA on Capitol Hill | AOA Federal Keyperson Summit.

Key Takeaways

AOA advocacy achieved significant wins for optometry at a federal level in 2025, including securing an offsetting 2.5% increase to Medicare pay; asuite of tax benefits for optometry practices; and recognizing AOA as a physician-level certifying body for required controlled substance training.

AOAs direct advocacy withvisionbenefitmiddlemen(VBMs) restored $12.1 million inreimbursementfordoctors of optometryby overturning wrongful plan denials.

Broadercongressional concerns over Americans health insurance frustrations continue to elevate the need for VBM reforms on Capitol Hill.

Advocates will return to Washington, D.C., for AOA on Capitol Hill | AOA Federal Keyperson Summit, March 15-17, to advance optometrys priorities with Congress.

Learn more about the AOA Federal Keyperson Program and how you can get involved to help our profession.

The AOAs federal advocacy achievedsignificant progressin 2025, securing and advancing a half dozen key priorities that directlybenefitoptometry practices and patients.Now, advocates intend to press that momentum with a newly envisionedsummit that hones optometrys legislative influence.

⏩ Registration is open for AOA on Capitol Hill | AOA Federal Keyperson Summit

Heresa summary of whattheAOAs federal and payeradvocacy achieved in 2025 thanks to persistent AOA doctor and student efforts:

1

AOA restored $12.1 million ofdoctor of optometryreimbursements from wrongful plan denials.Ongoing, direct AOA advocacy since 2023 has delivered measurable financial relief to the tune of $12.1 millionto optometrists by targeting improper plan denials, downcoding,credentialingand claim edit errors.AOA advocates, including the AOA Third Party Center,provideAOA members a means for direct outreach to plans to ensure that time-intensive records requests, inappropriate denials, MedicareRiskAdjustmentAuditsand downcoding delays were adequately compensated or halted with more than $4.6 million restored in the final half of 2025 alone.

If you experiencepayerissues, please [email protected] enlist AOA support on your behalf.

2

AOA achieved a 2.5%Medicare physician pay increasefor 2026.Staring down the reality of a fifth straight year of automated statutory reductions to Medicare physicians pay, AOA advocatessuccessfully appealedtoCongress to include a 2.5% physician pay increase for 2026 as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA).The AOA's leading, perennial advocacy rolehaslaidthe groundwork for longer-term reforms to mandate annual positive pay updates.

3

AOA achieved a permanent 20% tax deduction foroptometrysmall businesses.Also, as part of the OBBA that passed in July 2025, AOA advocates secureda full suite of tax benefits aimed at boosting small- to mid-sized optometry practices, including apermanent extension of the 20% small business pass-through tax deduction. Set to expire in 2026, the tax deduction is estimated to generate $6,000 annual tax savings for doctors.Whatsmore, AOA advocatesprevented a provision that would have barred optometry practices from deducting state and local taxes at the pass-through entity level, preserving a critical financial tool for practices.

4

AOA achieved legal recognition as a physician-level certifying body forDEA training.Doctorsrequiredto complete controlled substances prescriber training will be able to turn to the AOAfor an optometry-specific course to meet Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) training and education requirements. AOA advocates ensured a Dec. 1,2025,law authorized the AOA as a trusted provider of opioid-related education.This new course will be available for optometrists atOptometrys Meeting, June 17-20, in Phoenix,as well ason demandin theAOA EyeLearn Professional Development Hub.

5

AOAensuredoptometry on par with medicineandothersforfederal student loans.Where the OBBA imposed strict federal student loan limits for 2026-2027cappingloans at $20,500 annually and $100,000 aggregate for programs not considered professional programs" and$50,000 / $200,000 respectively for professional programsAOA advocates secured optometrys inclusion under the latter, on par with medicine,lawand dentistry.To be certain, the AOA expressed concern about the far-reaching consequences of restricting access to educational funding,especially onoptometry students, and shareda fact sheetfor helping students navigate the changes to federal student aid.

6

AOA building bipartisan support for VBM reform asCongress looks at health costs.A pair of bills, the Dental and Optometric Care (DOC) Access Act, as well as the Vision Lab Choice Act, garneredover 100bipartisan Congressional supportersin 2025-2026as the national conversation on health care policy, access and affordabilitytakes center stage in Washington, D.C. AOA advocates pressed for enhanced federal crackdown on VBMs, resulting in growing oversight and federal investigations, including a new anti-trust probe into doctor tiering, patient steering and optometry practice acquisition strongarm tactics.Now, lawmakers signal their desire to tackle a larger health care legislative package in 2026 that may provide an opening for VBM reformonethatAOA advocates will be sure toleverageasthey look to return to Capitol Hill in less than two months.

Register now: AOA on Capitol Hill | AOA Federal Keyperson Summit

Optometrysadvocates are needed in Washington, D.C., March 15-17, to advance these federal priorities with our nations health policy leaders as part of AOA on Capitol Hill | AOA Federal Keyperson Summit.

This newly envisioned meeting aims to harness the power of the AOAs 500-strong Federal Keyperson Program.While still open to all advocacy-minded AOA members, AOA on Capitol Hill | AOA Federal Keyperson Summit willconvenethe core of optometrys legislative influencers togetherto amplify optometrys impact in Washington, D.C.

Attendees can expect to:

Participate in important issues briefings and policy sessions from Capitol Hill leaders.

Connect with fellow keypersons and seasoned advocates to receive training, developstrategiesand align resources for advancingoptometrysfederalpriorities.

Drive action on our collective advocacy, ensuring optometrys voice leads to even higher levels of legislative action and progress.

Lawmakersfocus on plan abuses make this a consequential time on Capitol Hill to build the support needed to advance key VBM action and other top advocacy priorities.Register now to amplifyoptometrysmessageat AOA on Capitol Hill | AOA Federal Keyperson Summit.