ASCRS This Week July 6, 2022

Summer Meeting Program Highlights

From essentials to hot topics to hands-on wet labs to a casual welcome reception, the ASCRS Summer Meeting is the place to get a taste of the type of education and engagement that ASCRS has to offer in a short amount of time.

While the ASCRS Annual Meeting is the premier event for anterior segment education, the Summer Meeting distills some of the best elements from this meeting into a long weekend with education approved for up to 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM.

Experience the ASCRS Summer Meeting:

Phaco/Cataract Essentials
Glaucoma Treatment in 2022
Best of ASCRS: What the Faculty Learned This Year
Craziest Video Cases (Part 1 and 2!)
Presbyopia Treatments
Wet Labs (Anterior Segment Surgery Basics, DMEK/DSAEK, and Phaco)
Denim and Diamonds Welcome Reception
Complimentary Breakfast and Lunch in the Exhibit Hall

Register now and experience effective, in-person education at the ASCRS Summer Meeting, August 19–21, in Nashville, Tennessee!

Engage with These CME Opportunities on Your Own Time

The 2022 ASCRS Satellite CME Programs, which initially take place in person as a supplement to the ASCRS Annual Meeting, are now available online and will remain available for on-demand viewing until April 2023.

ASCRS Satellite CME Programs are designed to be deeper dives into the topic areas with at least a whole hour devoted to subject.

These five programs approved for up to 6.5 total AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM and can be accessed anywhere, anytime, online:

Phaco Fundamentals: Optimizing Phacodynamics for Brunescent and Challenging Cataracts
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: When Identifying the Problem Is Not Enough, Leadership Must Take Action*
Anterior Segment Surgeon's Guide to Thyroid Eye Disease*
The Glaucoma Treatment Spectrum: Meds, Sustained Delivery, and MIGS
Ophthalmology Quicksand Chronicles
*New, first-time topics to the ASCRS Satellite CME lineup.

Find these Satellite CME Programs here.

Recap: Aetna Drops Prior Authorization Policy for Cataract Surgery

As ASCRS reported last week, Aetna, as of July 1, 2022, will no longer require prior authorization for cataract surgery, except for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in Florida and Georgia.

The removal of this policy was a direct result of a year-long advocacy effort from ASCRS and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) that the policy be rescinded. ASCRS and AAO have requested a meeting with Aetna to get more information about the current status of this policy in Florida and Georgia and are awaiting a response.

Read more about this news and response from ASCRS leadership here.

“Technique Tuesdays” Showcases Weekly Clinical Video

The ASCRS App, which launched earlier this year for year-round member communication and educational engagement, has a new microlearning opportunity.

“Technique Tuesdays” will feature weekly clinical videos that showcase a specific surgical or clinical technique. Head on over to the app to view the latest “Technique Tuesdays.”

Not on the app yet? Learn more about the app and where to download it here.

Plan for the 7th Annual National Sight Week

Save the date for the ASCRS Foundation’s 7^th Annual National Sight Week, October 9–15, 2022.

National Sight Week is a time to celebrate the collective power of the ophthalmic community with the ASCRS Foundation’s Operation Sight program helping eligible, vetted patients in local communities across the country access charitable cataract surgery.

Now is the time to learn more and sign up as an Operation Sight volunteer. Click here or contact Rachel Goode, Operation Sight Program Manager, at [email protected] for more information.