In the News

Learn What’s Happening at PECAA

Stay up-to-date with PECAA be visiting any of the below press releases or news coverage featured in various industry publications.

Cold Start Practice Program Helps Power New Practices

Cold Start Practice Program Helps Power New Practices

A cold start practice is a challenging undertaking in which the odds are stacked against you. With so much competition from online eyewear retailers and corporate-owned chains, the owners of practices started from scratch need as much help as they can get. Fortunately, we found just the help we needed to successfully launch our cold start practice. The Cold Start Program from PECAA has bolstered us to thrive in our first year, despite an ongoing pandemic.

PECAA Relaunches Health Association Plan

PECAA Relaunches Health Association Plan

PECAA has relaunched their Association Health Plan on the Cigna and MultiPlan networks. The relaunch of PECAAHP builds upon earlier success and coincides with seasonal open enrollment opportunities. The Association Health Plan, which originally launched in 2019 on an Aetna network, allows eyecare practices to purchase competitive health insurance for their employees and families by leveraging the size of the PECAA organization to reduce employer premiums.

PECAA and Optometry Practice Valuations Enter Partnership

PECAA and Optometry Practice Valuations Enter Partnership

PECAA announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Optometry Practice Valuations to offer a personalized and discounted valuation service to members of the organization. The newly formed partnership grants members of PECAA up to a 30 percent discount on valuation services with an average turnaround time of five to seven business days.

Maximizing Your Telemedicine Reimbursements

Maximizing Your Telemedicine Reimbursements

Telemedicine gained tremendous traction during recent practice shutdowns, in which only emergency eyecare was permitted to be provided in-person. Now, many patients, who had never experienced this new way of visiting the doctor, may be open to continuing to do so, and may even expect its continuation. Teri Thurston, PECAA's Billing & Coding Advisor, lists key points to keep in mind to ensure you receive maximum reimbursement for services delivered via telemedicine.

A COVID-19 Resource Center for IECP’s

A COVID-19 Resource Center for IECP’s

While the majority of eye care practices are now reopen, the lasting ramifications of COVID-19 on independent eye care practices will continue to be seen and felt for quite some time. PECAA has been working hard to compile a COVID-19 Resource Center for IECP's to help their practices prosper.

The Power of Collaboration Over Consolidation

The Power of Collaboration Over Consolidation

It's a dilemma independent ECPs face: Independence gives you the freedom to offer great service, but makes competing on cost hard. As a remedy, a growing number of them are joining one of the numerous alliances of doctors and ECPs that have sprung up in recent years. INVISION spoke with a Colorado practice whose positive experience with one such group has helped it thrive and serves as a testament to the benefits of collaboration, rather than consolidation.

Building a Sustainable Future for Independent Optometry

Building a Sustainable Future for Independent Optometry

Don’t face our industry's changes alone—let your PECAA advisor team, vendor partners, and peer community help you prepare for what lies ahead. Let us help you thrive while we work together to build a sustainable future for the independent optometrist.

PECAA Offers Advice & Support for Cold Start Practices

PECAA Offers Advice & Support for Cold Start Practices

When Meg Richardson, OD, opened her own practice in Racine, WI, she found help in her alliance group PECAA. "As the business owner and optometrist, it’s just me making all these decisions. But to have somebody there to give you advice on the decisions that you’re making, it’s huge."

PECAA Launches Comprehensive Dry Eye Program for Members

PECAA Launches Comprehensive Dry Eye Program for Members

90 Days to Dry Eye is an all-encompassing, comprehensive learning experience that walks participants through the process of building a dry eye profit center in just 90 days. The program will utilize live events, online module courses and interactive coaching to help provide participating practices with customized implementation strategies to help build their thriving dry eye service.

PECAA Launches New Association Health Plan

PECAA Launches New Association Health Plan

PECAAHP, as the plan is being called, is a private, non-profit, level-funded benefits plan offered through the Aetna network. PECAAHP will offer multiple medical plans to choose from, including PPO and HSA options.

PECAA and Medical Eyeglass Center Announce Partnership

PECAA and Medical Eyeglass Center Announce Partnership

PECAA has entered into a strategic partnership with Medical Eyeglass Center (MEC), a leading optical dispensary development company. MEC will provide PECAA members with unfettered access to its full suite of both dispensary development and turnkey dispensary management solutions.

PECAA Co-Founder Dr. Lance Anderson Joins Executive Team

PECAA Co-Founder Dr. Lance Anderson Joins Executive Team

PECAA announced the return of one of the organization’s co-founders, who has accepted a newly developed role on the company’s executive team. Lance Anderson, OD, will now be serving as the organization’s vice president of strategic initiatives.

PECAA Can Assist in Opening a Cold Start Practice

PECAA Can Assist in Opening a Cold Start Practice

Opening a practice involves making so many important and expensive decisions—here's how Meg Richardson, OD found help and support from PECAA.

Advisors at the Ready

Advisors at the Ready

Although Professional Eye Care Associates of America (PECAA) began as an organization “right in my backyard,” Joan Ploem Miller, OD, of Baseline Vision Clinic in Hillsboro, Oregon, says that she didn’t pay too much attention to the group at first. Only after deciding to leave another network did she begin to look at it more seriously. “After talking with the PECAA staff, I felt like this would be a good fit,” she says.

A Thriving Community of Independent Practitioners

A Thriving Community of Independent Practitioners

PECAA's proactive approach to helping members, which now consists of over 3,500 independent eye care doctors, build high-performing practices.

PECAA Hosts 2019 Annual Meeting

PECAA Hosts 2019 Annual Meeting

The member-only event drew a record 900+ individuals from the PECAA community to the live music capital of the world for a mix of business and medical education, camaraderie and economic opportunities.

PECAA Launches Integrated Eye Care Initiative to Help ECPs Manage Through Health Care Reform

PECAA Launches Integrated Eye Care Initiative to Help ECPs Manage Through Health Care Reform

PECAA has launched the Integrated Eye Care Initiative, a new initiative that is designed to drive informed decision making for the next wave of health care reform.

PECAA Community Raises $116,000 for Optometry Giving Sight

PECAA Community Raises $116,000 for Optometry Giving Sight

PECAA announced in March that through its Growing Through Giving Program, $116,000 had been raised in 2018 for the organization’s charity of choice, Optometry Giving Sight.

PECAA Annual Meeting Draws ‘Unprecedented Interest’ and Sells Out for First Time

PECAA Annual Meeting Draws ‘Unprecedented Interest’ and Sells Out for First Time

This marks the first time PECAA has sold out the meeting in the company’s history, according to an announcement. The meeting, which is free to attend for PECAA members, is scheduled to run May 16-18 in Austin, Texas, and it is expected to draw a record 900-plus attendees.

PECAA Promotes Jamie Hughes to Senior Vice President & General Manager

PECAA Promotes Jamie Hughes to Senior Vice President & General Manager

Jamie Hughes, general manager of the Professional Eye Care Associates of America (PECAA), has been promoted to senior vice president and will retain the general manager title and responsibilities, according to an announcement.

PECAA Wins Transitions Optical Innovation Award ‘Best in Training’

PECAA Wins Transitions Optical Innovation Award ‘Best in Training’

The 2018 Best in Training title was awarded to Professional Eye Care Associates of America (PECAA) for their commitment to providing education in photochromic lenses and the Transitions brand.

PECAA Launches 2019/2020 Regional Leader Program

PECAA Launches 2019/2020 Regional Leader Program

The roles were filled by member doctors who will work to connect PECAA members in their local communities by helping foster doctor camaraderie, peer sharing of best practices and member engagement at regional events.

PECAA Holds Inaugural Strategic Partner Summit

PECAA Holds Inaugural Strategic Partner Summit

The invitation-only event brought together senior leadership from integral industry vendor partners to discuss the inevitable changes impacting the industry and to explore solutions on how the group, collectively, could best serve their mutual customers.

PECAA and OD Excellence Announce Merger Agreement

PECAA and OD Excellence Announce Merger Agreement

The deal was effective July 9. The newly merged group will be headquartered in Portland, OR, and will retain leadership and staff from both PECAA and ODX.

PECAA Holds 10th Annual Membership Meeting in Tucson and Draws 700 Attendees

PECAA Holds 10th Annual Membership Meeting in Tucson and Draws 700 Attendees

The organization hosted its 10th annual meeting from April 19 through April 21 at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa. The event drew more than 700 members, vendors, staff and guests to the area for a mix of education, economic and community-building opportunities.

Is An Optometric Group Right For Me?

Is An Optometric Group Right For Me?

Many Optometric Alliance Groups were initially designed to allow for more competitive cost of goods, but services have now evolved to include business development programs, doctor and staff education, and marketing tools that IECPs can take advantage of.

PECAA: Always Evolving to Best Help Members

PECAA: Always Evolving to Best Help Members

From its founding in 2006 by three independent ODs in Portland, Ore., PECAA has grown from a small regional base in the northwest U.S. to having roots in 48 states today.

PECAA Expands its Relationship With Human Resources Consulting Firm AmeriBen

PECAA Expands its Relationship With Human Resources Consulting Firm AmeriBen

PECAA has “deepened its relationship” with strategic partner AmeriBen that will enable the alliance to offer an “expanded human resource support service” to its members.

PECAA Launches ‘Growing Through Giving,’ a Marketable & Charitable Giving Program

PECAA Launches ‘Growing Through Giving,’ a Marketable & Charitable Giving Program

The organization has launched “Growing Through Giving,” a member marketing and charitable giving program that will support PECAA’s charity of choice, Optometry Giving Sight (OGS), according to an announcement.

Ninth Annual Professional Eye Care Associates of America Meeting Held in Nashville

Ninth Annual Professional Eye Care Associates of America Meeting Held in Nashville

PECAA held its 9th annual meeting from May 18 to 20 at the OMNI Hotel. The event hosted over 600 members, vendors, staff and guests.

Ask the MBA

Ask the MBA

PECAA Member Business Manager Bryan Hoban answers Members most commonly asked questions regarding practice growth.

PECAA Brings Its Annual Meeting to the Big Easy

PECAA Brings Its Annual Meeting to the Big Easy

PECAA held its meeting here, a blend of business and networking opportunities against the backdrop of the unique atmosphere, sights and sounds of New Orleans.

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