Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Investing

The Effects of Expanding Optometrists’ Scope of Practice

by October 22, 2024
October 22, 2024
The Effects of Expanding Optometrists’ Scope of Practice

Jeffrey Miron

The standard argument for scope-of-practice (SOP) laws—and more generally, for occupational licensing—is that such regulation improves the quality of services by keeping out lower-skill providers. If so, then these government-created barriers to entry are potentially beneficial, even if they reduce supply and raise prices.

One problem with this perspective is that existing evidence does not find improvements in quality from SOP or licensing laws, and a new study confirms:

The United States is experiencing a shortage of physicians—exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic—and the shortage is expected to worsen primarily because of population growth and aging. Notably, the availability of ophthalmologists is trending downward despite growing demand for eye care. … Given the limited availability of ophthalmologists, some have suggested leveraging optometrists, who also have skills in eye care. …

And, lo and behold,

Beginning in the 1970s, optometrists gradually obtained the authority to prescribe medications. This scope-of-practice expansion has allowed optometrists to diagnose and treat patients with eye diseases or disorders without referrals to ophthalmologists. …

States have introduced and expanded optometrists’ prescription authority in multiple phases. Initially, optometrists were permitted to administer medications only for diagnostic purposes. Then, states allowed optometrists to prescribe medications for treatment purposes—known as therapeutic pharmaceutical agent (TPA) prescription authority. …

Our research estimates the effects of optometrists’ TPA prescription authority…. Specifically, it examines the effect of laws that allow optometrists to prescribe drugs for glaucoma treatment on public eye health. …

Our estimates provide evidence that granting TPA prescription authority to optometrists improved public eye health and increased optometrists’ earnings. Vision impairment declined by 12 percent on average over a 15‐​year period after the policy change.

Thus, rather than improving customer outcomes, SOP laws made them worse. So why do such laws exist? Presumably as protectionism for suppliers who want to avoid competition (but claim they are helping consumers). Bootleggers and Baptists lives!

This article appeared on Substack on October 22, 2024.

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Blinken arrives in Israel as Biden-Harris admin faces scrutiny over compromising Jerusalem’s security
next post
Anonymous GOP senator concerned about Grassley, 91, reclaiming key Judiciary Committee chair: report

You may also like

Senate to Hold Hearings on “Youth Vaping Epidemic”...

June 11, 2024

Congress Should Repeal the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit,...

May 22, 2025

Friday Feature: CREATE Conservatory

March 8, 2024

International Students Benefit the United States

April 11, 2025

The Costs of Mask Mandates

September 9, 2024

The Latest International Exam Scores Look Bad—Are They?

December 4, 2024

This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things...

March 1, 2024

Spending and Debt in the OECD

June 20, 2025

Navigating the Future of International Taxation: A New...

February 13, 2024

The Folly of Tariff Reciprocity

February 21, 2025

Senate to Hold Hearings on “Youth Vaping Epidemic”...

June 11, 2024

Congress Should Repeal the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit,...

May 22, 2025

Friday Feature: CREATE Conservatory

March 8, 2024

International Students Benefit the United States

April 11, 2025

The Costs of Mask Mandates

September 9, 2024

The Latest International Exam Scores Look Bad—Are They?

December 4, 2024

This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things...

March 1, 2024

Spending and Debt in the OECD

June 20, 2025

Navigating the Future of International Taxation: A New...

February 13, 2024

The Folly of Tariff Reciprocity

February 21, 2025

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Bush teams up with notorious Trump foes to trash ‘colossal mistake’ shuttering USAID

      July 2, 2025
    • Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ stalls in House amid conservative mutiny threats

      July 2, 2025
    • Democratic doctors’ protest against Trump’s ‘beautiful bill’ derailed by flood of US Capitol tourists

      July 2, 2025
    • Missed Disney’s Rally? Grab This Defined-Risk Put Spread for a Second Chance

      July 2, 2025
    • Market Signals Align – Is a Bigger Move Ahead?

      July 2, 2025
    • MACD Crossovers: Why Most Traders Get It Wrong

      July 2, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,365)
    • Investing (2,094)
    • Politics (15,920)
    • Stocks (3,187)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved