| Have you heard of the “not-a-doctor” bill? Florida Senate Bill 230 now sits on the Governor’s desk and optometry’s voice needs to be heard.
Senate Bill 230 was passed without the inclusion of optometry. If this bill becomes law, it will have far reaching negative effects on the profession of optometry but optometry needs to make its voice heard.
Not just Florida licensed members but all ODs should get involve!
We need you to email the Governor DeSantis one time through his website at https://www.flgov.com/email-the-governor/ with a subject of VETO SB 230
Please keep all comments respectful. Below are some talking points to consider when writing your message:
- I respectfully request for you to VETO SB 230
- SB 230 discriminates against and clearly disparages the profession of optometry in the state of Florida
- This is a punitive bill against optometrists who provide 85% of the primary eye care to the citizens or Florida and will create more confusion for the patients we care for every day
- Negative impact this will have on small business/optometric practices
- Optometrists have received recognition as “physicians” in the Federal Register, from CMS and Florida Medicaid but with this bill optometrists will be charged with a felony if they use the term optometric physician
- Extensive investment of time and money to earn a 4 year doctoral level degree, Doctor of Optometry, but will not be able to use the term optometric physician like the chiropractic physicians, podiatric physicians, and dentists that also earn their degrees in 4 years or less.
- Undue expense of reprinting all letterhead, business cards, brochures, door signage, clinic coats, etc. and scrubbing websites and other platforms of doctor and optometric physician
Sample letter below for reference. |
