Bill Text: NJ S3108 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits health insurance carriers from requiring optometrists to become providers with vision care plans as condition of becoming providers in carriers' panel of providers; prohibits certain practices under vision care provider contracts.*
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-12-18 - Substituted by A2336 (2R) [S3108 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-S3108-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator NICHOLAS P. SCUTARI
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
Senator GERALD CARDINALE
District 39 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits health insurance carriers from requiring optometrists to become providers with vision care plans as condition of becoming providers in carriers' panel of providers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning optometrists and vision care plans and supplementing P.L.1997, c.192 (C.26:2S-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A carrier shall not require an optometrist to participate in a vision care plan as a condition for entering into a contract with that carrier for the provision of medically necessary physician services within the scope of practice of an optometrist when those services are provided as a health benefit for covered persons.
b. For purposes of this section, "vision care plan" means an organization with which a carrier subcontracts to provide or administer supplemental vision or medically necessary physician services within the scope of practice of an optometrist, or both, to covered persons on behalf of the carrier.
c. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a carrier from entering into a contract with a vision care plan.
2. This act shall take effect on the 120th day next following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits health insurance carriers from requiring optometrists to accept a contract with a vision care plan as a condition for participation in the carrier's provider networks for the provision of medically necessary physician services within the scope of practice of an optometrist. Nothing in the bill is to be construed to prevent a carrier from entering into a contract with a vision care plan.
Currently, optometrists may be required by health insurance carriers to accept a contract with a vision care plan in order to be part of the provider network for the provision of medically necessary physician services within the scope of practice of an optometrist, while the same requirement is not applied to other eye care providers.
