During Optometry’s Meeting, eye care professionals are taking advantage of the proximity to the halls of power to visit their elected representatives. Among the priorities is HR 2748, the Contact Lens Prescription Modernization Act, backed by the American Optometric Association and the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety. The bill would ensure a safer, simpler contact lens prescription verification process for the millions of contact lens-wearing Americans by prohibiting online retailers’ use of automated robocalls to verify prescriptions.
This year, one focus is on the number of bills that have been introduced in state legislatures around the country sometimes referred to as “don’t say doctor” laws—and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently vetoed such a bill when it arrived on his desk.
But there are others that claim that optometrists who call themselves optometric physicians or doctors are skirting “truth in advertising” laws.
In California, AB 754 is “held for submission,” meaning that it has not advanced out of committee but could at a later date.
In Connecticut, SB 899 does not seem to be gaining traction. On a state general assembly page for public hearing information, there are 70 testimonials opposing the bill and 12 supporting it.
In Massachusetts, “An Act Relative to Health Care Transparency” (H 3606 and S 1348) was reintroduced this year as it was in the previous legislative session. There has been no action on the bill since February.
In Texas, HB 2324 was referred to the public health committee in March.
In Wisconsin, the Senate Committee on Health held a public hearing on May 24 on SB 143.
And in North Carolina, HB 576 / S 624, the Health Care Practitioner Transparency Act, has been referred to the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.
Some of these bills are reactions to recent legislative wins that provide optometrists with expanded scope of practice. According to this article from Review of Optometry from late last year, 41 states now allow ODs to administer some injectable drugs, 16 states allow ODs to excise lumps and bumps, and 10 states allow optometrists to perform in-office laser surgery.
However, as the experience in California shows, even getting an optometry-friendly expansion of scope bill passed through the state legislature is no guarantee of success. Governor Gavin Newsome vetoed AB 223 in late December of last year.
These arguments over the scope of practice are not new. For decades, eye care professionals have sought to carve out and protect their practice turf. But as technology advances—allowing optometrists to do more for patients, safely and conveniently—it also becomes important to stay in touch with your local, state and federal organizations that are protecting your rights to provide eye care to the best of your ability.
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