NEW ORLEANS—In anticipation of health care reform legislation getting closer to full implementation, the National Association of Specialty Health Organizations and the National Association of Vision Care Plans held their first joint meeting here at the historic Roosevelt New Orleans: A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, April 30 to May 2.

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) was among the guest speakers who discussed the problems with health care today and the impact that reform will have on specialty health plans. Combining presentations regarding health care reform in general and sessions related to specialty health care and vision care insurance plans specifically, the three-day event hosted approximately 150 attendees, the largest number ever registered by either organization’s previous events. Sponsors included Carl Zeiss Vision, Acuvue, VSP Global, Essilor, Block Vision, Davis Vision, PFO Global and Advantica.  ■



   
 (L to R) Julian Roberts, executive director, NASHO/NAVCP; U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), and Erich Sternberg, president, AlwaysCare Benefits.  The 2012-2013 NAVCP board of directors includes, (l to r), Jeff Spahr, VP, vision services, WellPoint Vision; Robert Stein, SVP, professional and managed care development, National Vision; secretary and treasurer Aspasia Shappet, CEO, MESVision; Jim McGrann, president, VSP Vision Care; Troy Hall, VP, marketing and product development, Davis Vision; membership committee chair LaJeanne Niles, director, business development west, Carl Zeiss Vision; chairman Richard Sanchez, president and CEO, Advantica; Myles Lewis, CEO, General Vision Services; and industry relations committee chair David Lavely, OD, CEO, OptiCare Managed Vision.


   
 (L to R) Jim McGrann, president, VSP Vision Care; Al Bernstein, president & COO, Nationwide Vision; Jason Harrold, SVP, specialty business unit, Centene Corp.; and Karin Ajmani, CEO, US Imaging.
PFO Global’s Rudolf Suter (l), president & CEO, and Steve Brewer, EVP, business development, managed vision care and national accounts, with Maria M. Barnwell, VP, business development, integrated healthcare solutions. 


   
Carl Zeiss Vision’s LaJeanne Niles, director, business development west, and Doug Crickey, ABOC, NCLC, LDO, director, business development. (L to R) Advantica’s Sheldon C. Cohen, DMD, CEO; Richard L. Sanchez, president; and Andy Davis, SVP, sales & marketing.


   
 Transition Optical’s Smith Wyckoff (l), associate marketing manager, managed vision care, and Patrick Huot, director, managed vision care, with Superior Vision Services’ Zon Dunn, VP, provider relations. Hugh Parry (l), president and CEO, Prevent Blindness America and Ron Krefman, OD, CEO, focalCenter.


 
 L to R) Bill Hately, OD, MA, VP, clinical standards, HVHC; Lendy Pridgen, MBA, MHA, director, third party center, American Optometric Association; and Stephen M. Montaquila, OD, FAAO, of West Bay Eye Associates.