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Member BenefitsMembership in your state association is an important part of your profession. The Colorado Optometric Association provides many benefits that will enhance your practice and your career. Along with the tangible and educational benefits of membership, the COA and AOA provide many intangible benefits that are important for you individually as well as for optometry as a profession. Membership in the COA Gives YOU a United Voice for OptometryThe COA and AOA are your advocates before state and federal legislators, national third party providers, Medicare, Medicaid, the Colorado State Board of Optometry and other professional organizations. Both the COA and AOA constantly monitor these groups at the state and federal level to ensure that the interests of you and your patients are protected. Because optometry is a legislated profession, representation in these arenas is by far the most valuable benefit of your membership. You can be a part of optometry's voice by serving on a COA committee and being politically active. Educational ExcellenceThe COA is the leading provider of quality continuing education in Colorado. The Colorado Vision Summit is a top educational opportunity in a family vacation destination. The COA also brings CE to you by sponsoring annual Roadshows around the state. The AOA provides top-notch clinical education at the annual Optometry's Meeting conference. Public Exposure for OptometryYour membership in the COA and AOA helps keep a steady stream of information about primary care optometry in front of the public. AOA has a longstanding public relations program through the print media and public service announcements. The AOA also develops media for use in print and television that can be used on the state level to promote optometric care. Public ServiceIn conjunction with the AOA, the COA participates in the InfantSEE® program, which is a national program that provides no-cost evaluations for babies in their first year of life. This program helps detect early childhood eye disorders such as amblyopia and strabismus for thousands of children across the country. The AOA sponsors the Healthy Eyes Healthy People initiative. This program is part of the larger Healthy People 2010 program, a national multidisciplinary collaborative effort to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and establish national goals to reduce these threats. Leading Edge InformationMembership in the COA and AOA gives you access to the best periodicals in the profession: The AOA News, Journal of the AOA and the COA's Viewpoints. The COA maintains the Classifieds for members in print and online to advertise positions and equipment, both needed and for sale. The Classifieds are updated daily at the COA office, printed monthly in Viewpoints and available anytime to members upon request or by downloading a copy from the Member Center of the COA website. The COA Directory is a comprehensive listing of all optometrists in Colorado, and is an invaluable reference tool that is given free of charge to members. The directory is also available online in the member Center of the COA website. The AOA provides information for your practice through the HIPAA Compliance Manual and compliance updates, as well as the Optometric Clinical Practice Guidelines. Membership in the AOA also entitles you to the use of the International Library, Archives and Museum of Optometry (ILAMO), one of America's finest visual science libraries. Both the COA and AOA support websites for up to the minute information about association activities. Practice SupportThe COA helps you better manage the business aspects of optometric practice with the informative program FastFacts. These updates are used to quickly transmit breaking news and information that directly affects your practice. For new graduates, membership is especially important. The COA is a great resource for questions about issues such as securing a DEA number, networking opportunities, practice purchasing opportunities, and buying group information. The AOA offers a Career Center, a Managed Care Resource Guide, a Practice Resource Center and a Resource Guide for Employed/Affiliated Optometrists. The COA Coding and Billing Seminars provide expert advice on improving your skills in third party billing, which can improve reimbursement to your practice. You can submit Coding and Billing questions to the COA's expert on the COA's website, as well as learn from the questions that other members have asked. The AOA provides a Dr. Locator service (with a link through the COA's website) so that patients can easily find your practice. Optometric CommunityThe COA is the largest network of optometrists in the state of Colorado. Many professional opportunities, friendships, mentorships and professional relationships have grown from contacts made at COA events. Student and new graduate members of the COA can take advantage of the Alumni Locator Program. This program helps students and new graduates connect with COA members who are alumni from the same optometry school. It's a great way to make a personal connection with others who have traveled the same road! In Viewpoints, the COA publishes information such as birthdays, births, marriages, special accomplishments and changes in practice location to keep everyone up to date on important life events. The COA sponsors social events at the Colorado Vision Summit, such as the President's Reception and the Awards Luncheon, to give members a chance to mingle and reconnect with colleagues. The annual Golf Tournament is always a great time to catch up with friends and enjoy a day in the sun. Annual Member Appreciation Dinners (MADs) are a great way to gather with fellow optometric friends and colleagues to socialize and meet new people. Professional RecognitionMembership in the COA and AOA shows your patients you are a member in good standing of the professional optometric community. COA provides a framed certificate recognizing your first year of membership and an updated certificate for each year of membership thereafter. COA/AOA members who have achieved 10 years, 25 years, 40 years and 50 years of membership are recognized at COA's annual Member Recognition and Awards Luncheon. The annual Distinguished Service Award, Optometrist of the Year and Young Optometrist of the Year Awards give outstanding professionals individual recognition. The AOA Optometric Recognition Award (ORA) recognizes continuing education achievements. Patient Education ResourcesMembership in the COA gives you access to AOA pamphlets, video programs, vision care manuals and eye charts through the AOA Order Department at special AOA member pricing. The AOA also provides promotional information for nationwide programs such as Save Your Vision Month, National Diabetes Month and Glaucoma Awareness Month. The COA sponsors the Kids Welcome Here® program, which provides free posters and literature to your practice to help inform parents about the importance of eye care in early childhood. Section Membership OpportunitiesAOA membership opens the door to special interest sections, all providing quarterly newsletters, education opportunities and discounts.
Insurance and Retirement PlansPlanning for your future and protecting yourself, your family and your practice are essential for your peace of mind. COA/AOA membership gives you access to:
Money Saving Discounts for You and Your PracticeYour COA/AOA membership offers many cost cutting, value added benefits:
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