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PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 237, 1596
PRINTER'S NO. 1761
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
257
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY WARD, WHITE, SCARNATI, GORDNER, SCHWANK, BROOKS,
FOLMER, YUDICHAK, HUTCHINSON, COSTA, STEFANO, AUMENT, BOSCOLA
AND RAFFERTY, JANUARY 27, 2017
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, MAY 21, 2018
AN ACT
Amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), entitled "An
act relating to insurance; amending, revising, and
consolidating the law providing for the incorporation of
insurance companies, and the regulation, supervision, and
protection of home and foreign insurance companies, Lloyds
associations, reciprocal and inter-insurance exchanges, and
fire insurance rating bureaus, and the regulation and
supervision of insurance carried by such companies,
associations, and exchanges, including insurance carried by
the State Workmen's Insurance Fund; providing penalties; and
repealing existing laws," providing for quality eye care for
insured Pennsylvanians.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known
as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, is amended by adding an
article to read:
ARTICLE XXVII
QUALITY EYE CARE FOR INSURED PENNSYLVANIANS
Section 2701. Short title of article.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the Quality
Eye Care for Insured Pennsylvanians Act.
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Section 2702. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Covered vision CARE ." Vision services and materials for
which reimbursement is available under a health insurance
policy, regardless of whether the reimbursement is contractually
limited by a deductible, copayment, coinsurance, waiting period,
annual or lifetime maximum, frequency limitation or alternative
benefit payment.
"Department." The Insurance Department of the Commonwealth.
"Health insurance policy." An individual or group health
insurance policy, subscriber contract , certificate or plan
issued by or through an insurer that provides covered vision
care. For purposes of this article, the term includes vision
only insurance coverage. The term does not include accident
only, fixed indemnity, limited benefit, credit, dental,
specified disease, Civilian Health and Medical Program of the
Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) supplement, long-term care or
disability income, workers' compensation or automobile medical
payment insurance.
"Health insurer." An entity licensed by the department with
an accident and health authority to issue a policy, subscriber
contract, certificate or plan that provides medical or health
care coverage , including vision coverage, and is offered or
governed under any of the following:
(1) Section 630, Article XXIV or other provision of this
act .
(2) The act of December 29, 1972 (P.L.1701, No.364),
known as the Health Maintenance Organization Act.
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(3) 40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 (relating to hospital plan
corporations).
(4) 40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to professional health
services plan corporations).
"Insured." An individual on whose behalf a health insurer is
obligated to pay for vision care under a health insurance
policy.
"Materials." Ophthalmic devices, including, but not limited
to, lenses, devices containing lenses, artificial intraocular
lenses, ophthalmic frames and other lens mounting apparatus,
prisms, lens treatments and coating, contact lenses and
prosthetic devices to correct, relieve or treat defects or
abnormal conditions of the human eye or its adnexa associated
with the delivery of vision care.
"Noncovered services." Vision care that is not covered but
for which a discount may be provided under the terms of a health
insurance policy.
"Physician." An individual licensed under the laws of this
Commonwealth to engage in the practice of:
(1) Medicine and surgery in all its branches within the
scope of the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112),
known as the Medical Practice Act of 1985.
(2) Osteopathic medicine and surgery within the scope of
the act of October 5, 1978 (P.L.1109, No.261), known as the
Osteopathic Medical Practice Act.
"VISION CARE." A PROVISION OF EYE CARE SERVICES, MATERIALS
OR BOTH.
"VISION CARE PROVIDER." A LICENSED DOCTOR OF OPTOMETRY
PRACTICING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE ACT OF JUNE 6, 1980
(P.L.197, NO.57), KNOWN AS THE OPTOMETRIC PRACTICE AND LICENSURE
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ACT, OR A LICENSED PHYSICIAN WHO HAS ALSO COMPLETED A RESIDENCY
IN OPHTHALMOLOGY.
"Vision care supplier." A person or entity , other than a
vision care provider, that creates, promotes, sells, provides,
advertises or administers vision care SUPPLIES , including an
optical laboratory. The term includes persons or entities
affiliated with a health insurer.
Section 2703. Vision care provider and vision care supplier
SELECTION .
A health insurance policy shall allow an insured who receives
vision care from an in-network vision care provider to select an
out-of-network vision care supplier for related vision care on
the recommendation or referral of the in-network vision care
provider, provided that the in-network vision care provider
gives to the insured, prior to recommending, referring,
prescribing or ordering any vision care from the out-of-network
vision care supplier, written notice that:
(1) The out-of-network vision care supplier is not an
in-network vision care supplier.
(2) The insured has the option of selecting an in-
network vision care supplier.
(3) The insured may have different financial obligations
depending on whether the vision care supplier is in-network
or out-of-network.
Section 2704. Discount access.
A health insurance policy providing discounts for noncovered
services provided by a vision care provider shall allow the
vision care provider to opt out of the contractual obligation to
provide such discounts, provided that the vision care provider
provides written disclosure to the insured that the vision care
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provider does not participate in the insured's discount program.
A HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY THAT HAS A DISCOUNT PROGRAM FOR
NONCOVERED SERVICES SHALL PERMIT AN INSURED WHO RECEIVES VISION
CARE FROM AN IN-NETWORK VISION CARE PROVIDER TO RECEIVE A
NONCOVERED SERVICE FROM THE IN-NETWORK VISION CARE PROVIDER AT A
NONDISCOUNTED RATE, PROVIDED THAT THE VISION CARE PROVIDER GIVES
TO THE INSURED, PRIOR TO RECEIPT OF THE NONCOVERED SERVICE,
WRITTEN DISCLOSURE THAT THE VISION CARE PROVIDER DOES NOT
PARTICIPATE IN THE INSURED'S DISCOUNT PROGRAM.
Section 2705. Enforcement.
(a) Scope.--The department may investigate and enforce the
provisions of this article only insofar as the actions or
inactions being investigated relate to coverage under a health
insurance policy.
(b) Commissioner power.--Upon satisfactory evidence of a
violation of this article within the scope of the department's
investigative and enforcement authority under subsection (a),
the commissioner may, in the commissioner's discretion, impose
any of the penalties specified in section 5 of the act of June
25, 1997 (P.L.295, No.29), known as the Pennsylvania Health Care
Insurance Portability Act.
(c) Remedies cumulative.--The enforcement remedies imposed
under this section are in addition to any other remedies or
penalties that may be imposed under any other applicable law of
this Commonwealth, including the act of July 22, 1974 (P.L.589,
No.205), known as the Unfair Insurance Practices Act. A
violation of this article shall be deemed to be an unfair method
of competition and an unfair or deceptive act or practice under
the Unfair Insurance Practices Act.
(d) Administrative procedure.--The administrative provisions
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of this section shall be subject to 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 Subch. A
(relating to practice and procedure of Commonwealth agencies). A
party against whom penalties are assessed in an administrative
action may appeal to Commonwealth Court as provided in 2 Pa.C.S.
Ch. 7 Subch. A (relating to judicial review of Commonwealth
agency action).
(e) Enforcement remedies.--The enforcement remedies imposed
under this section shall be in addition to any other remedies or
penalties that may be imposed under the laws of this
Commonwealth.
(B) INSURANCE COMMISSIONER POWER.--UPON SATISFACTORY
EVIDENCE OF A VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE BY ANY INSURER OR OTHER
PERSON WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S INVESTIGATIVE AND
ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY UNDER SUBSECTION (A), THE INSURANCE
COMMISSIONER MAY, IN THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER'S DISCRETION,
PURSUE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:
(1) SUSPEND, REVOKE OR REFUSE TO RENEW THE LICENSE OF
THE OFFENDING PERSON.
(2) ENTER A CEASE AND DESIST ORDER.
(3) IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY OF NOT MORE THAN $5,000 FOR
EACH ACTION IN VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE.
(4) IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY OF NOT MORE THAN $10,000 FOR
EACH ACTION IN WILLFUL VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE.
(C) LIMITATION.--PENALTIES IMPOSED UNDER THIS ARTICLE SHALL
NOT EXCEED $500,000 IN THE AGGREGATE DURING A CALENDER YEAR.
(D) VIOLATIONS BY OPTOMETRISTS AND OPTHALMOLOGISTS.--A
VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE BY AN OPTOMETRIST SHALL CONSTITUTE
UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 6, 1980 (P.L.197,
NO.57), KNOWN AS THE OPTOMETRIC PRACTICE AND LICENSURE ACT. A
VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE BY AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST SHALL CONSTITUTE
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UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT UNDER THE ACT OF DECEMBER 20, 1985
(P.L.457, NO.112), KNOWN AS THE MEDICAL PRACTICE ACT OF 1985, OR
THE ACT OF OCTOBER 5, 1978 (P.L.1109, NO.261), KNOWN AS THE
OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL PRACTICE ACT.
Section 2706. Regulations.
The department may promulgate regulations as may be necessary
or appropriate to implement this article.
Section 2707. Applicability.
This act ARTICLE shall apply as follows:
(1) For health insurance policies for which either rates
or forms are required to be filed with THE Federal Government
or the Insurance Department DEPARTMENT , this act ARTICLE
shall apply to any policy for which a form or rate is first
filed on or after the effective date of this section.
(2) For health insurance policies for which neither
rates nor forms are required to be filed with the Federal
Government or the Insurance Department DEPARTMENT , this act
ARTICLE shall apply to any policy issued or renewed on or
after 180 days after the effective date of this section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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