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President's Memorandum
PRESIDENT'S MEMORANDUM
In the past, members of AIOIS have received a memorandum from me concerning CHAMPUS reimbursement for intraocular lens implantation. The information in my memorandum was provided to us by CHAMPUS via the Academy's Office of Governmental Relations. CHAMPUS has since corresponded with me further and the information that they are now providing differs significantly from their original assertion. CHAMPUS maintains that it will only propose to reimburse for IOL implantation in a Federal Register notice that could appear as late as mid-1982. Appeals for past denials of CHAMPUS reimbursement and requests for reimbursement in the future will not be favorably acted upon until after the Federal Register notice appears, comments are received from the public, and a final determination is made by the Department of Defense. CHAMPUS maintains that, although HCF A has authorized Medicare reimbursement for IOL implantation throughout the FDA investigations, CHAMPUS's own regulations prohibit such reimbursement until their complicated administrative process is completed. Those lens companies which have now received FDA approval for their products should no longer be subject to the CHAMPUS prohibition when approved lenses are inserted at the time of cataract surgery. We have notified CHAMPUS of one company's approval. Henry M. Clayman, M.D. President American Intra-Ocular Implant Society
AM INTRA-OCULAR IMPLANT SOC J-VOL. 7, FALL 1981
327
In the past, members of AIOIS have received a memorandum from me concerning CHAMPUS reimbursement for intraocular lens implantation. The information in my memorandum was provided to us by CHAMPUS via the Academy's Office of Governmental Relations. CHAMPUS has since corresponded with me further and the information that they are now providing differs significantly from their original assertion. CHAMPUS maintains that it will only propose to reimburse for IOL implantation in a Federal Register notice that could appear as late as mid-1982. Appeals for past denials of CHAMPUS reimbursement and requests for reimbursement in the future will not be favorably acted upon until after the Federal Register notice appears, comments are received from the public, and a final determination is made by the Department of Defense. CHAMPUS maintains that, although HCF A has authorized Medicare reimbursement for IOL implantation throughout the FDA investigations, CHAMPUS's own regulations prohibit such reimbursement until their complicated administrative process is completed. Those lens companies which have now received FDA approval for their products should no longer be subject to the CHAMPUS prohibition when approved lenses are inserted at the time of cataract surgery. We have notified CHAMPUS of one company's approval. Henry M. Clayman, M.D. President American Intra-Ocular Implant Society
AM INTRA-OCULAR IMPLANT SOC J-VOL. 7, FALL 1981
327