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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR

Martinez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/24/07

3/2/07

HB

1186/aHHGAC

SHORT TITLE Surgery Types Considered As Optometry

SB

ANALYST C. Sanchez

REVENUE (dollars in thousands)

Estimated Revenue

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

FY09

NFI

Minimal

Minimal Recurring Optometry

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

Relates to, SB 367

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

NFI Minimal Minimal Minimal Recurring Optometry

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Amendment

The House Health and Government Affairs amendment clarifies the original bill by stating that

optometry does not include the use of surgery or injections in the treatment of eye disease

House Bill 1186/aHHGAC – Page

2

Synopsis of Original Bill

House Bill 1186 amends Section 61-2-2, NMSA 1978, of the Optometry Act, to increase the

scope of practice to include in-office minor surgical procedures.

The proposed changes will include treatment of the human eye with the following procedures:

•

Non-laser removal, destruction or drainage of superficial eyelid lesions and

conjunctival cysts.

•

Removal of non-perforating foreign bodies from the cornea, conjuctiva and eyelid

•

Non-laser corneal debridement

•

culture, scrape or anterior puncture, not including removal of pterygium, corneal

biopsy or removal of corneal neoplasias

•

removal of eyelashes; and

•

probing, dilation, irrigation or closure of the tear drainage structures of the eyelid;

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The Optometry Board may need to increase the operational budget, and therefore increase

licensing fees, in order to provide the oversight required under the increased scope of practice.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Education of the general public and patients that procedures performed under an expanded scope

of license may not be reimbursable by third party payers including Medicare because New

Mexico makes this change.

RELATIONSHIP

SB367 Committee Substitute – Optometry Exclusions & Certifications – Michael S. Sanchez

TECHNICAL ISSUES

New Mexico Optometrist are not required in the legislation to demonstrate educational or

technical competence to perform surgical procedures. There is no requirement for additional

education or training for this expanded scope of practice.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Status Quo

CS/mt