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Lawmakers hear sharply divided testimony on S.64 to expand optometrists' procedural scope
Summary
On April 15, the Vermont Senate Health and Welfare Committee heard competing testimony on S.64. The Vermont Board of Medical Practice and ophthalmologists warned of quality and training risks; optometrists and OPR supporters argued the bill would improve rural access and reduce costs with additional specialty licensing safeguards.
Dr. Greenberg, representing the Vermont Board of Medical Practice, told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that the board reviewed S.64 repeatedly (October 2023, January 2025 and January 2026) and remains opposed because available evidence does not show clear cost or access benefits and because the board’s work is focused on licensure and patient safety. “Our stance is still opposed to the change,” Dr. Greenberg said, stressing that the board evaluates complaints, malpractice settlements and legal issues and that its lens is quality and licensure rather than system financing.
Tina Keshava, an optometrist in Rutland and president of the Vermont Optometric Association, argued the bill would expand access for rural Vermonters and reduce costs associated with extra referrals and hospital facility fees. Keshava cited optometry training benchmarks—“10,000 hours of education and 2,000…
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