BILL NUMBER: S6813
SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to enacting the "optome-
try freedom act"
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To provide that insurance carriers and vision care plans shall not
restrict or limit the sources and suppliers of services or materials, or
use of optical labs provided in the treatment of a patient.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill would add a new section 3246 to the Insurance Law
to entitle the act as the "Optometry Freedom Act."
Section 2 would provide definitions related to the act and provide that
a contract between an insurance carrier or vision care plan and an opto-
metrist shall not restrict or limit, directly or indirectly, the choice
of sources and suppliers of services or materials or use of optical labs
provided by the optometrist to the enrollee.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill would allow patients to authorize their optometrist to select
the services, materials, and laboratories that are needed for the care
and treatment of the patient and not to defer such medical decision-mak-
ing to the insurance company. While managing health care costs is impor-
tant, this consideration should not replace the medical judgement of the
provider in treating a patient. Moreover, allowing insurance companies
to determine which services, materials, and laboratories must be used
provides the opportunity for such companies to have vertical control
over such services, materials, and laboratories, further enriching the
insurance companies at the expense of the patient and their care.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.