{"id":30791,"date":"2018-09-19T11:07:12","date_gmt":"2018-09-19T16:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/?p=30791"},"modified":"2018-09-19T11:07:12","modified_gmt":"2018-09-19T16:07:12","slug":"in-business-friendly-oklahoma-optometrists-bring-potential-corporate-control-into-focus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2018\/09\/19\/in-business-friendly-oklahoma-optometrists-bring-potential-corporate-control-into-focus\/","title":{"rendered":"In Business-Friendly Oklahoma, Optometrists Bring Potential \u2018Corporate Control\u2019 Into Focus"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_30792\"  class=\"wp-caption module image aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-30792\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist003_HR-1920x1280.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist003_HR-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist003_HR-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist003_HR-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist003_HR-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist003_HR-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist003_HR-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist003_HR-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Jackie Fortier \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Duncan optometrist Brendhan Fritts in an exam room at this practice.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brendhan Fritts\u2019 optometry practice in Duncan is filled with brightly colored displays of models in designer glasses, pamphlets on the importance of routine eye care \u2014 and posters against State Question 793.<\/span><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/502135947&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=false&visual=false\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It doesn\u2019t look like a scene for political discussions, but with the November election looming, Fritts is having more and more conversations with his patients. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c\u2018How do you want me to vote?\u2019 Is basically what they ask me. \u2018What do you want me to do?\u2019 And I say, \u2018I want you to vote no for these reasons,\u2019\u201d Fritts said. <\/span><!--more--><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fritts has worked as an optometrist for 13 years, the last seven in Duncan. He decided to move back home after practicing in other areas of the country, most recently Dallas. Until now, Fritts\u2019 major competition has been other individual optometrists in the area \u2014 but if SQ 793 passes, he estimates he\u2019ll lose 30 percent of his business. \u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fritts, along with the<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oaop.org\/oaop\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is vehemently opposed to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sos.ok.gov\/documents\/questions\/793.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">State Question 793.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The measure would change the state constitution <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/optometry.ok.gov\/lawtitle505_3.htm#prohibition\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to allow <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oklahoma optometrists \u2014 health professionals who examine people\u2019s eyes for vision or health problems and can prescribe corrective glasses or contacts \u2014 to open clinics in large retail stores like Walmart and Target. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI tell them [patients] Walmart wrote a very good question,\u201d Fritts said. \u201cIf you read the first two paragraphs, [you\u2019ll think] why don\u2019t I check yes, this seems like a no-brainer! But if you get tired, just skip to the last three sentences, and that\u2019s where our issue lies.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sos.ok.gov\/documents\/questions\/793.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That section<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> allows optometrists to sign a contract with a retailer like Walmart that limits their scope of practice \u2014 the procedures and services an optometrist is allowed to perform under their state license. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right now, Oklahoma optometrists are required to conduct <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/optometry.ok.gov\/lawtitle505_3.htm#required\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">specific tests<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on all patients to make sure they get a comprehensive eye exam.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If SQ 793 passes, Fritts is concerned that corporations who have agreements with optometrists to operate in their stores will have the power to bar them from doing some of those tests, leading to substandard exams and assembly line eye care.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jennifer Sommer, director of optical practice compliance for Walmart and Sam\u2019s Club, says that won\u2019t happen in their stores. Under the proposed Walmart business model, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indeed.com\/cmp\/Walmart\/reviews?fcountry=ALL&fjobtitle=Optometrist&ftopic=culture&lang=\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">optometrists remain independent<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and rent space from the store. The sales of glasses and contacts are done by Walmart employees, and Sommer says, the store does not profit from the cost of the exam. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWith the very narrow exception of laser eye surgery, we would actually encourage all optometrists to practice to the highest extent of their license,\u201d Sommer said. \u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oklahoma\u2019s broad scope of practice for optometrists necessitated the restriction in SQ 793, Sommer said. Optometrists are not medical doctors and in many states aren\u2019t allowed to perform minor eye surgeries \u2014 but in Oklahoma, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/optometry.ok.gov\/lawtitle505_4.htm#nonlaser\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they can<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She describes it as a \u2018belts and suspenders approach.\u2019 <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe wanted to make sure there\u2019s not an opportunity for legislation that would inhibit our ability to have practices in our stores,\u201d Sommers said. \u201cEspecially if that contract had a provision that limited the doctor\u2019s ability to perform major eye surgeries or laser surgeries at that location.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main political action committee urging a \u2018yes\u2019 vote on SQ 793 has raised about $100,000, with more than half of that coming from Walmart, followed by retail support groups and Costco Wholesale.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_30793\"  class=\"wp-caption module image aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-30793\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist006_HR-1920x1280.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist006_HR-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist006_HR-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist006_HR-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist006_HR-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist006_HR-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist006_HR-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/09\/20180904-duncan-optometrist006_HR-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Jackie Fortier \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of many posters against SQ 793 in Fritts\u2019 office. He estimates he\u2019ll lose 30 percent of his business if the measure passes.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, a committee pushing \u2018no\u2019 votes on the state question has raised about $1.4 million with big checks from the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians and scores of donations from individual optometrists across the state. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sam Greco, a health care consultant, says that may sound like a lot, but they are fighting for a piece of the nation\u2019s $<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.visionmonday.com\/business\/research-and-stats\/article\/vision-markets-see-continued-growth-in-2017-visionwatch-says\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">18 billion <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eye care industry. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIf they can create either the real or perceived view of affordability then they have achieved two of the goals of healthcare consumers: access and affordability,\u201d Greco said.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medicare Advantage plans are becoming popular due to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbesfinancecouncil\/2018\/09\/13\/what-you-need-to-know-before-starting-medicare-the-basics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> their low monthly costs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as cash-strapped baby boomers get older. These plans contract with the federal government to provide extra benefits to seniors than traditional Medicare. Some of the Advantage plans include routine vision insurance. Capturing those dollars, Greco says, and leveraging the need for in-person eye exams helps <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brucejapsen\/2018\/08\/21\/walmart-outflanks-amazon-to-lock-up-seniors-medicare-plans\/#10082cd13eef\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Walmart compete with Amazon<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe don\u2019t have any problem with Walmart having optometrists doing eye exams, the problem is being in the state constitution, and changing the scope of practice,\u201d Fritts said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Walmart and Sam\u2019s Club have about 3,300 vision centers across the U.S. Voters will decide this November if Oklahomans will see any in their state. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brendhan Fritts\u2019 optometry practice in Duncan is filled with brightly colored displays of models in designer glasses, pamphlets on the importance of routine eye care \u2014 and posters against State Question 793.\ufeffIt doesn\u2019t look like a scene for political discussions, but with the November election looming, Fritts is having more and more conversations with his [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":199,"featured_media":30799,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[23],"tags":[961,857,962,960],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30791"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/199"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30791"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30798,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30791\/revisions\/30798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}