2014 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 74. State Government
§74-1374. Vision plans.

For the plan year beginning January 1, 2005, and for each year thereafter, it shall be the fiduciary responsibility of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to ensure that participants have the option to choose which vision plan best meets their individual needs by offering every vision plan that notifies the Office of its desire to participate no later than July 1 of each year and meets or exceeds the following criteria:

1. Has in place a statewide network of at least one hundred fifty providers. "Providers", for purposes of this section, means Optometrists (OD), Ophthalmologists (MD), and Ophthalmologists (DO) which shall be counted once regardless of the number of locations where they may practice. Optical shops and retail optical locations shall not be listed as providers. The company offering the vision plan must have a direct relationship with each provider on its panel, and may not lease, borrow, or otherwise obtain use of a provider panel from another company. This would not prevent a company from offering their plan through one corporate entity and administering the plan or provider panel through another legal entity of the same organization. Providers must be actively engaged in providing the services offered under the vision plan they represent;

2. Has operated in Oklahoma for at least five (5) years;

3. Is licensed by the Insurance Department, certified by the State Department of Health, or licensed as a third-party administrator by the Insurance Department. Vision plans must be offered by the company administering the plan, not by an agent or third party. A company shall offer only one vision plan and rate schedule for each plan year;

4. Presents accurate product information in a reproducible format not to exceed two pages; and

5. Vision plans must provide an examination, frames and lenses, and/or contact lenses and some form of indemnified payment to the contracted providers for each component of the benefits, i.e., the exam, frames and lenses and/or contact lenses. This does not eliminate discounted supplementary benefits under a qualified plan.

Any administrative fees imposed by the Oklahoma Employees Insurance and Benefits Board shall be applied equally to all qualified vision plans. There shall be no additional requirements imposed on a vision plan other than the proper licensing or certification by the appropriate state agency.

Added by Laws 2002, c. 501, § 1, eff. July 1, 2002. Amended by Laws 2003, c. 113, § 1, eff. July 1, 2003; Laws 2004, c. 310, § 1, eff. July 1, 2004; Laws 2006, c. 231, § 9 eff. July 1, 2006; Laws 2012, c. 304, § 982.