IcareLabs Blog

If you are the owner of a small optical or optometry office, you probably are fully aware of this, but we felt it worth sharing for those who were not. Starting January 1, 2024, most small businesses will have to report information about their beneficial owners to the Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Beneficial owners are individuals who own or control the business.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recently announced a proposed notice of rule-making to update and revise the regulations that govern the exemption of certain white-collar employees from minimum wage and overtime pay. These rules can directly affect your optical practice. 

IcareLabs was excited and honored to be named as one of 2024's best places to work in the Tampa Bay area. This outstanding accomplishment not only highlights our company's success, but also emphasizes its dedicated focus on the well-being and development of its employees.

In the vibrant tapestry of our community, IcareLabs stands as a beacon of excellence, integrity, and resourcefulness. These aren't mere words but the guiding principles that fuel our commitment to making a positive impact. When an opportunity arose to align these values with a local non-profit, we leaped at the chance.

 

Recently, our very own Director of Sales and Marketing, James Stephany, took time out of his busy schedule to give a lecture at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.

 

This was a great opportunity for James to share his belief in the importance of opticians and their labs being on the same page. This cooperation is paramount in ensuring every patient can get the best possible pair of glasses to fit their needs and lifestyle.

Over the past few years, several states have passed legislation relating to managed vision care. Many of these new laws prohibit managed vision care plans from mandating that the ECP must use a designated lab to make the lenses covered under the plan. This means many of our customers can now use IcareLabs for these managed vision care plans, depending on what state your practice is in!

In some states, the managed vision care plan is still entitled to set differing reimbursement rates for out-of-network supplies and services. Check with the managed vision care plan for more information.

According to The Vision Council, there have been 40 such legislative efforts, some of which were not signed into law, or died in process. Below is a summary of bills that have become law, or are currently somewhere in the legislative process. The summaries were provided by The Vision Council.