MEMORANDUM

DISCUSSION:

This memorandum introduces a change in the requirement for visual re-examinations after initial approval for Supplemental Aid to the Blind (SAB) and Blind Pension (BP) programs.

House Bill 1835 (HB1835), signed by Governor Nixon on June 10, 2014, eliminates the requirement for a new visual examination every five years for certain individuals once determined eligible for SAB or BP. Effective August 28, an individual will be exempt from the five year visual re-examination when an ophthalmologist, an optometrist, or a physician skilled in diseases of the eye has deemed the individual to have no usable vision.

“No usable vision” means an individual does not have vision, with or without proper adjusted glasses, up to, but not including 5/200, or whose best visual field is 5 degrees as tested with 5 millimeter target or perimeter, and the individual’s vision loss at this level is permanent, or is medically unlikely to return or improve.

The State Supervising Ophthalmologist will make the determination whether future re-examinations are required based on reports received from the examining ophthalmologist, physician skilled in diseases of the eye, or optometrist. Upon receipt of a determination from the State Supervising Ophthalmologist that no re-examination is required, the eligibility specialist (ES) will make entry on the Ophthalmologist Details (OPTHINFO/FMJQ) screen showing WAIVED (W) under the column marked “approved.” No review date is to be entered when future re-examinations are waived. The ES must enter a comment indicating the date of the ophthalmologist decision to waive future visual examinations.

Individuals with waived re-examinations are required to report improvement in their vision within 90 days of the improvement. The notification must be in writing.

Individuals with a waived re-examination are also required every year to provide a written attestation that their vision has not improved. Instructions for necessary actions will be forthcoming on a future memorandum.

Section 0405.025.00 of the Supplemental Aid to the Blind Manual and Section 0505.025.00 of the Blind Pension Manual has been updated to include this change.

NOTE: Visual re-examinations could not be waived prior to August 28, 2014. Any individual who was previously coded as waived is required to have another visual examination, at which time the State Ophthalmologist may waive future examinations.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
• Effective August 28, 2014 enter waived (W) when examination is returned by the state ophthalmologist stating no future reviews are needed.

AC/vb