June 27, 2023
Sacramento, CA – The California Optometric Association released the following statement today in response to the budget agreement announced by Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature for the 2023-24 fiscal year. Candi Kimura, OD, COA’s President said:
“This week’s budget agreement responds to the access crisis in California’s Medi-Cal program by setting aside significant investment to improve provider rates so that access to care is available. As the Sacramento Bee reported this month, eye doctors are being forced out of the program because Medi-Cal rates don’t come near the cost of providing care. In allocating MCO tax dollars, we strongly urge the California Department of Health Care Services to prioritize eye care access that Californians need to work, drive safely, and learn in the classroom.
“Optometrists’ accessibility, diversity, and close ties to communities are the reason first diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension, and cancers are often made by optometrists. For this reason, eye exams delivered by optometrists provide tremendous value for the Medi-Cal program. Still, optometric exams have been excluded from past Medi-Cal rate increases.
“Eye care is essential not only for clear vision but because eye exams provide a critical window into overall health; optometry rates must be a priority for this new Medi-Cal investment.”
COA Champion Supporters:
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Chief Strategy Officer
Dr. Lance Anderson is the Chief Strategy Officer at PECAA, where he is engaged in all aspects of company strategy. He co-founded PECAA in 2007 and helped lead the organization as it grew from a small local Portland study group to a national alliance of independently owned eye care practices. He served as a board member of Rev-360 from 2015 – 2021 and helped oversee the management and successful sale of Revolution EHR, Visionary Partners, and eventually PECAA.
He earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University in 1991. He started his own optometry practice in 1993 in Hillsboro, OR, and was able to grow the practice into a busy three-doctor clinic. He retired from clinical care in 2021 and then moved to New York City where he was tasked with helping to integrate PECAA with the HEA buying group. He recently moved to Nashville, TN where he will continue to be actively involved in creating the future vision for PECAA as it is integrated into the VSP family of businesses.
Chief Member Experience Officer
Dr. Justin Manning is the Chief Member Experience Officer at PECAA, where he leads the member experience team, encompassing member education, the Member Business Advisory services, Events, and the Cold Start program. He is the founder and host of the Practice Advantage podcast. Prior to joining PECAA, he founded The Keratoconus and Scleral Lens Institute at Bettner Vision in Colorado Springs, and eyeLeader, a consulting company focused on leadership development, technology in eyecare, and population health.
He has contributed to Review of Optometric Business and has lectured nationally and internationally on specialty contact lenses, design thinking, population health, and the patient experience. He earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from The Ohio State University and completed a residency in Geriatric Optometry at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System in Tacoma, WA, a Master of Public Health degree at Salus University, and a graduate certificate in Customer Experience from the CU Boulder Leeds School of Business. He is driven to help all independent eye care professionals grow their businesses and enjoy their practices every single day.
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