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House committee hears competing views on online contact-lens renewals in bill requiring 2-year in-person exam
Summary
Lawmakers heard pro- and anti-telemedicine testimony on House Bill 45 58, which would allow online renewals of contact lens prescriptions if the patient had an in-person eye exam within the past two years. Supporters cited access and convenience; optometrists warned of safety and verification gaps.
The House Health Policy Committee heard more than two hours of testimony Thursday on House Bill 45 58, a measure that would allow patients to renew contact lens prescriptions online provided they had a valid in-person prescription within the past two years.
Representative VanderWaal, the bill sponsor, said the measure would "allow for a person to renew their prescription provided that they have received a valid prescription from an in person visit within the last 2 years." She described the change as expanding convenience and lowering costs for patients.
Supporters including David Gunther of the Mackinac Center and Jack Baum of Americans for Tax Reform argued the bill would expand access, especially in rural areas, and increase consumer choice. "By voting yes on House Bill 45 58, you have the opportunity today to bring our state out of the century in vision care practices…
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