HF 656: Relating to vision benefit plans, the regulation of insurers and vision benefit managers, vision care providers, and vision care provider contracts and including effective date and applicability provisions

What it does

This bill relates to vision benefit plans, the regulation of insurers and vision benefit managers, vision care providers, and vision care provider contracts. The bill details the standards of conduct for insurers and vision benefit managers (managers), including the requirements for a reimbursement paid by an insurer or manager to a vision care provider (provider), the calculation of an annual adjustment, the period of time for an insurer or manager to recover a reimbursement amount from a provider, the auditing time frame for an audit of a claim or a collection of a claim, a reimbursement for a covered service or covered material provided to a covered person, the identification of participating providers, and the licensure requirements for managers.

House subcommittee · named March 3, 2025

• Rep. Jacob Bossman (R) · jacob.bossman@legis.iowa.gov
• Rep. Brett Barker (R) · brett.barker@legis.iowa.gov
• Rep. Kenan Judge (D) · kenan.judge@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 1 for, 8 against

For: Iowa Optometric Association

Against: Delta Dental of Iowa; Elevance Health, and its Affiliates dba Anthem, Inc.; Federation of Iowa Insurers; Iowa Total Care, A Subsidiary of Centene Corporation; National Association of Vision Care Plans; Principal Financial Group; VSP Vision, Inc. c/o MultiState Associates LLC; Wellmark, Inc.

In plain words

1. February 28, 2025Filed in the House and sent to the Commerce committee
2. March 3, 2025House subcommittee named: Bossman, Barker and Judge
3. March 4, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it