House passes bill to regulate vision benefit managers, sponsors say it will protect patient choice

The Arkansas House on Feb. 10 passed House Bill 13 53 to regulate vision benefit managers (VBMs) and amend existing vision-care statutes. Sponsor Representative Eubanks said the bill was developed with optometrists and reviewed by relevant state agencies.

Eubanks told members two large companies control roughly 80% of vision plans and that vertical integration has allowed some managers to own manufacturing, labs, retail stores and claim-processing services — practices he described as concentrating the market and harming small eyecare providers. “We want to try to do everything we can to try to level the playing field,” Eubanks said.

Supporters spoke about preserving patient choice and access. Representative Acre said the bill protects patient freedom of choice against financial or prescriber coercion. Representative Lynch said small family-owned offices in his district support the bill.

The House passed the bill by voice vote with a recorded machine vote of 96 yeas, 0 nays and 0 present. The sponsor said the bill was drafted with input from the optometry community and submitted to the Arkansas Insurance Department and other stakeholders for review.