Senator Kim Ward (R-39) recently introduced SB978 in the Pennsylvania Senate. This bill would amend the Insurance Company Law of 1921 to ensure that competitive parity exists among eye care providers and that patient choice is protected by adding an article entitled “Quality Eye Care for Insured Pennsylvanians.”
This piece of legislation attempts to restore a “level playing field” in the eye care industry and ensure both patient freedom of choice when selecting a provider and providers’ freedom of choice to choose materials, fabrication and source of products and a uniform provider contract.
Recently, Senator Ward requested support for this bill from the Pennsylvania Optometric Association and the Pennsylvania Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr. Richard Christoph, POA president, responded to Senator Ward’s request offering POA’s support and assistance toward the passage of this piece of legislation.
We encourage POA members to familiarize themselves with this legislation by reviewing the information available on our website at www.poaeyes.org under Doctors, POA’s Legislative Priorities.
