§ 61-2-16 — Freedom of choice

A. In expending public money for any purpose involving the care of vision, any state board, commission or department created or existing by statute, including public schools or other state or municipal agencies or any of their employees, who, in the performance of their duties, are responsible for such expenditures shall not, directly or indirectly, refer the name or address of any particular ocular practitioner or system of practice to any person eligible for a vision examination or the correction of any visual or muscular anomaly, except in emergency situations. B. Every policy of insurance or medical or health service contract providing for payment or reimbursement for any eye care service shall be construed to include payment or reimbursement for professional services rendered by a licensed optometrist, and no insurance policy or medical or health service contract shall discriminate between ocular practitioners rendering similar services.

Legislative History

1953 Comp., § 67-1-14, enacted by Laws 1973, ch. 353, § 14; 1985, ch. 241, §