Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons

10/22/2025

Thank you for all of our state's incredible ophthalmologists for attending our Fall Meeting. Please SAVE THE DATE for our Spring Meeting and Scientific Seminar on May 7-8 at the Louisville Marriott East. Questions? Ideas that can make it the best it can be? Call or email anytime! jamie@eyemds.org

10/08/2025

Our Fall Meeting is just a few days away! Join us as we share an important legislative update from Kate Wood Hall, lobbyist and partner at Commonwealth Alliances. Kate will share about how changes in the state health plan may affect our practices, licensure and credentialing issues related to optometry, and give a preview of potential scope of practice issues in the upcoming legislative session.

YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS! We will have a questions and answers session after her presentation and are eager to hear how we can better serve you.

If you haven’t done so, register today by logging into your member account or by emailing jamie@kyeyemds.org. We look forward to seeing you at the KAEPS Fall Meeting!

ABOUT KATE:

Kate Wood joined Commonwealth Alliances in 2014 after serving in the administration of Governor Steve Beshear as Legislative Liaison and Director of Legislative Services. Kate began her political career in 2003 working on state and federal campaigns.

10/06/2025

On September 18th we reached out to you regarding an egregious failure of payments with Humana Medicare Advantage. If you haven't already, REGISTER TODAY so you can attend our 2025 Fall Meeting and receive an in-person update from President-Elect Dr. Ryan Smith with communication from high up Humana officials that have been corresponding with KAEPS and AAO to correct this situation. Join us and find out when your practice may finally be receiving past due payments.

Log in to your member portal or DM or email Jamie Ennis at jamie@kyeyemds.org to register. This FREE event is not one to miss!

10/03/2025

Our 2025 Fall Meeting is just a week away! We are pleased to have Andy Reynolds from Ballast ready to speak to us. Our discussion should cover the following topics:

Lifetime Tax Optimization Strategies
Insurance Pitfalls
Debt Management Strategies
Legacy Planning & Asset Protection Strategies
Investment Management in Today’s AI Driven World
Building a Retirement Income Structure

Please register today at www.kyeyemds.org. We are ready to see you there!

09/25/2025

It should not take 3 months, federal officials, and an investigative journalist to admit a problem. Humana you are on notice and we are standing up for our members. Thank you Shay McAlister for this excellent piece!

The impact has been swift and severe, according to the Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, with dozens of ophthalmology practices impacted across the state. "I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion an...

09/19/2025

We’re hearing from providers, patients and practices across Kentucky about alarming denials from Humana Medicare Advantage for common eye surgeries—procedures that protect vision and independence - that have been taking place since mid-summer. If this happened in your practice, to you or a loved one, DM us your story so we can advocate for access to care.

Why this matters:

Delays can worsen outcomes, especially for seniors.

Appeals are time-consuming and stressful for patients and practices.

If you’ve been affected:

Document dates, denial letters, and any appeal steps taken.

Share your experience with us (DM or email at jamie@kyeyemds.org) so we can escalate patterns to the KY Department of Insurance as well as elected officials to advocate for timely access to care. We will use de-identified information to brief policymakers and request corrective action.

Patients deserve clear, consistent coverage for medically necessary eye surgery. It’s time for solutions that put outcomes first.

08/26/2025

The KY Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons is pleased to announce its Fall 2025 Meeting to be held at The Club at Spindletop Hall in Lexington, Kentucky on October 10th, 2025.

**REGISTRATION to this FREE half-day event IS NOW OPEN FOR KAEPS Members**

Conference Theme: The Business of Ophthalmology

Ophthalmologists are highly trained to diagnose, treat, and manage complex eye care needs. Yet few receive formal preparation to lead teams, manage businesses, or navigate the operational challenges of a medical practice. Today’s healthcare environment requires more than clinical excellence—it demands leadership, effective communication, financial acumen, and strategic decision-making.

Program Highlights:

This FREE interactive half-day conference will provide: practical leadership skills for immediate application in clinical practice; strategies for team development and effective communication;
insights into financial management and strategic decision-making; and presentations from leading experts in wealth management and financial planning.

For questions about the conference or about becoming a KAEPS member please contact Jamie Ennis, Executive Director at 859-948-4626 or jamie@kyeyemds.org.

08/07/2025

The Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (KAEPS) is pleased to welcome back Jamie Ennis as its Executive Director and Lobbyist. Jamie is an accomplished public affairs professional with nearly two decades of experience in legislative advocacy, health policy, external relations, and organizational leadership. Her career has centered on being a relentless advocate for advancing better health outcomes across the Commonwealth and beyond.

Jamie previously held the role of Executive Director of KAEPS from 2016 to 2017, before being appointed by Governor Steve Beshear to serve on the inaugural Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund Board. She served with distinction as President for eight years, in honor of her son, Paxton, a survivor of stage 4 Burkitt’s lymphoma. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in securing more than $37 million in state funding dedicated to pediatric cancer research, changing the landscape of childhood cancer in Kentucky.

A former D.C. intern for Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, Jamie has been named one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Kentucky Politics (Kentucky Gazette), a Rising Star in Government (The Lane Report), and one of America’s Top Cancer Change Makers. She’s also a recipient of the prestigious Health Policy Champion Award from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Jamie is also a graduate of Leadership Somerset, Leadership Lexington, and Leadership Kentucky.

Beyond her work in public policy, Jamie is the founder of Childero, a nonprofit ministry based in northern Uganda that supports Christian outreach, education, and health care services for orphans, including at the Gulu School for the Blind.

Jamie received her Master’s of Public Administration from Eastern Kentucky University. She resides in southcentral Kentucky and is the mother of three children: Paxton, Ansley, and Maura.

Jamie can be reached at 859-948-4626 or jamie@kyeyemds.org.

07/29/2025

Prolonged sun exposure is linked to eye cancer. Learn about protecting your eyes from UV rays: http://bit.ly/1P8mrc6

Ultraviolet (UV) light can harm your eyes and raise your risk of cataracts, growths on the eye and cancer. Follow these tips to protect your eyes from sun damage all year long.

07/08/2025

Tips for choosing the best sunglasses to protect your eyes from sun damage: http://bit.ly/1ZX0y7b

When you shop for sunglasses, carry this list with you. Sunglasses with these features can help prevent sun damage, keeping your eyes healthy and your vision strong.