Can Opticians & Optometrists Form a Legal Partnership?

[eyedude]

Since managed care companies contract with OD's only, has anyone tried forming a partnership with OD's to include optiicians into the agreements? Is anyone aware if opticians and OD's can form a legal partnership? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[eye4ni]

There is nothing to prevent an Optometrist and Optician from forming a partnership. The only trouble in Florida lies with an Optician hiring an Optometrist. O.D.'s can not be hired by corporations or lay people. The O.D. must pay fair market value on his space, equipment, and staff, under FL law. As long as those criteria are met, partner up.
Be careful of third party plans. I've yet to see on worth their weight in excrement.

Rick Hamilton, O.D.

[Tom Bowman]

Having been there myself, I may be able to shed a little light.

Yes, it is possible to form a partnership in MOST states... however, many managed care plans state that the O.D. or M.D. must have at least 51% of the business, while some managed care plans require the O.D. or M.D. to own 100%.

Other laws in certain states say that you cannot incorporate your business due to 'Unlike Licenses'.

You should first find a lawyer who is familiar with this sort of thing and also check with the managed care plans beforehand as well.


Hope this helps,

Tom Bowman

Williams Consulting Group

[EyeManFla]

Originally posted by eye4ni:
There is nothing to prevent an Optometrist and Optician from forming a partnership. The only trouble in Florida lies with an Optician hiring an Optometrist. O.D.'s can not be hired by corporations or lay people. The O.D. must pay fair market value on his space, equipment, and staff, under FL law. As long as those criteria are met, partner up.
Be careful of third party plans. I've yet to see on worth their weight in excrement.

Rick Hamilton, O.D.

I beg to disagree. Under the Florida Statute 463.014 1(b) an Optician and an Optometrist CANNOT be partners, as their licenses are not compatible. In accordance with the DPR, and Optician is NOT an licensed health care professional whose "primary objective is the diagnosis and treatment of the human body". Read that to mean another physician.

That position has been learned the hard way by a number of LDOs and ODs who tried to "partner up".