After months of work by the Illinois Optometric Association and the Illinois Eye Institute, Medicaid recently corrected an error that was causing unequal treatment in the Medicaid system between optometrists and medical doctors. Following the state's implementation of the SMART Act in 2012, the remibursement rates of many services, including those provided at the IEI, were reduced by 2.7 percent. Going forward, this reduction will apply only to vision exams and optical services provided by both ODs and MDs. Medical services provided by both professions will now be paid at the full reimbursement rate, rather than just for services provided by MDs, as had previously been the case. 

The National Board of Examiners in Optometry recently released statistics on the Part I Basic Science exam, administered on ICO's campus March 19 and 20. The pass rate for ICO first-time test-takers was 96.6 percent, and ICO's overall pass rate was 95.3 percent. The national overall pass rate was 79 percent.

The honorable U.S. Rep. L. Tammy Duckworth will serve as the keynote speaker for the 170^th ICO Commencement Ceremony to be held at 11:00 a.m., May 18, at Rockefeller Chapel. Duckworth will receive the honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, during the ceremony.

“Not only is Rep. Duckworth a distinguished member of Congress, she is a national hero and an amazing role model for our doctoral candidates,” said ICO President Dr. Arol Augsburger.

Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran and former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs. She was one of the first women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom when she was deployed to Iraq in 2004 as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard. Duckworth lost her legs and partial use of her right arm when her helicopter was hit by an RPG on Nov. 12, 2004. She was wearing polycarbonate lenses under her visor that protected her eyesight and credits Dr. Michelle Jurkovic, an ICO alum, with saving her vision during the explosion. She was awarded a Purple Heart for her combat injuries.

Following her recovery, Duckworth became Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. In Illinois, she worked to create a tax credit for employers who hired veterans, established the first 24/7 crisis hotline for veterans in the nation, and developed innovative programs to improve veterans' access to housing and health care.

In 2009, President Obama appointed Duckworth to be Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs. At the VA, Duckworth led an initiative to end homelessness among veterans. She was elected to Congress in 2012.

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