Cramer, Murphy Introduce Legislation to Improve Vision Care Quality, Protect Consumer Choice

BISMARCK, N.D. - Two Vision Benefit Managers (VBMs) dominate the vision insurance market, providing coverage to two-thirds of Americans with vision benefits. These VBMs often own the frame and lens manufacturers and control which labs an optometrist can use, resulting in less autonomy for providers and more limited choices for their patients.

U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced the Vision Lab Choice Act of 2024 to allow clinicians to use the medical labs of their choosing and lower costs for both patients and doctors. Specifically, the legislation would amend Title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to allow optometrists to choose the best labs and suppliers for their practice, ensuring patients receive high-quality, personalized vision care.

"Vision Benefit Managers are often a hurdle to optometrists and eye care specialists providing the best care to their patients," said Cramer. "Expanding consumer choice benefits patients when service is improved. I joined Senator Murphy in introducing the bipartisan Vision Lab Choice Act of 2024, so doctors will have more autonomy over which labs they work with and where they source their materials."

"Right now, VBMs control practically every part of the vision industry - the insurance plans, the manufacturers for frames and lenses, the vision labs - and they use that power to eliminate choice and drive up costs for doctors and patients," said Murphy. "This bill would solve a small piece of that problem by making sure optometrists aren't forced to use a VBMs preferred vision lab. Instead, they'll have the freedom to choose labs that lower costs and cut wait times for patients."

The bill is endorsed by the American Optometric Association, National Consumers League, Patients Rising, Hispanic Leadership Fund, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) Global Policy Initiative, and the Black Women's Health Imperative.

Click here for bill text.