Enrolled Bill Summary

Senate Bill 857 amends the Insurance Code to require a managed care plan that arranges for medical eye care services or procedures to allow a therapeutic optometrist who is listed as a participating provider for routine eye examinations to also be listed on the plan's medical panel as a provider for patients seeking diagnosis or treatment of a medical disease, disorder, or condition to the extent permitted by the therapeutic optometrist's license. A therapeutic optometrist included on a managed care plan's medical panel is required to abide by certain conditions, including the plan's credentialing standards, proof of license in good standing, compliance with the Controlled Substances Registration Program, and other terms. The bill authorizes a managed care plan to charge reasonable credentialing costs and a one-time administrative fee associated with inclusion on the medical panel.