Statement on 2022-23 State Budget

California Optometric Association

For Immediate Release                                                   

Contact: Kristine Shultz at (916) 752-1671

January 10, 2022                                                               

California Optometric Association Statement on 2022-23 State Budget Release

Sacramento, CA – The California Optometric Association released the following statement from President Ida Chung, OD, MSHE, FAAO, in response to Governor Newsom’s 2022-23 budget proposals: 

“Eyes are a crucial part of Californians' quality of health and daily lives, from learning in the classroom to mobility in their elder years.  In 2020, California took a significant step forward to expand opportunities for healthy eyes and healthy lives by restoring adult eyeglass benefits through Medi-Cal. This investment will help people with low incomes be able to work and drive safely. The eyeglass benefit encourages more Californians to obtain comprehensive eye exams that can save vision with early detection of diabetes in the eyes.”

"In today's budget proposal, optometrists were encouraged to see the Administration is expanding the Medi-Cal program to cover more individuals. Optometrists want the Administration to bring optometric care reimbursement rates up from near-worst in the nation to deliver on the promise of access to care. Increased reimbursement rates to keep up with the cost of delivering quality patient care will deliver even greater returns on the Medi-Cal eye care benefit by enlisting more eye doctors in California’s front-line defense against the costly and deadly diabetes crisis through preventative eyecare with dilated fundus examinations.” 

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Established in 1899, the California Optometric Association is California's oldest organized community for doctors of optometry. Representing doctors of optometry throughout the state, COA is dedicated to support and advance the profession of optometry to assure quality health care for all Californians. Learn more at coavision.org, Facebook.com/CaliforniaOptometric and Instagram.com/coa_vision.