SB67 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mark Slade Blackwell

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Insurance, Access to Eye Care Act, certain provisions revised to include other programs, private or public, insurance policy, plan, contract, or program prohibited activities expanded, Secs. 27-56-2, 27-56-3, 27-56-4, 27-56-5, 27-56-6, 27-56-7, 27-56-8 am'd.

Summary

SB67 would expand the Access to Eye Care Act to require both public and private insurance programs to cover optometrists and remove several payment and provider restrictions.

What This Bill Does

It requires both public and private insurance policies, plans, contracts, and programs to provide coverage for optometrists for services within their license, matching coverage when other providers render the same service. It prohibits insurers from making eye care providers participate as a condition of payment, from setting a fixed fee outside the subscriber agreement, from restricting which laboratory can be used, from designating which plan is used for reimbursement, and from restricting noncovered products or services. It also improves patient access by allowing direct access to eye care providers without referrals for covered services like glaucoma treatment and postoperative eye care, and it ensures reimbursement won’t be denied simply because a referral wasn’t obtained.

Who It Affects

• Covered individuals and families with eye care coverage: gain direct access to eye care providers without referral requirements for covered services and have clearer, more uniform coverage terms for optometric services.
• Eye care providers (optometrists and ophthalmologists) and insurers/plans: face fewer payment and network restrictions (e.g., no requirement to participate as a condition of payment, no fixed-fee mandates outside subscriber agreements, no preset plan or lab designations) and must be included in provider networks as appropriate.

Key Provisions

• Extends coverage to both public and private insurance policies, plans, contracts, and programs for services by optometrists.
• Prohibits requiring eye care providers to participate as a condition of receiving payment.
• Prohibits setting fees for products/services outside the subscriber agreement.
• Prohibits restrictions on which laboratory can be used by providers.
• Prohibits designating which insurance plan shall be used for reimbursement.
• Prohibits restrictions or requirements related to noncovered eye care products or services.
• Defines terms such as covered person, eye care provider, and insurance policy/plan/contract providing third-party payment.
• Requires payment to optometrists for services within the scope of their license when the policy pays for the same service by another provider.
• Allows direct access to eye care without referrals for covered services like glaucoma treatment and postoperative care.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Insurance