HF 646 (LSB 2631YH (2) 88)

HOUSE FILE 646

BY  STAED

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to vision screenings, examinations, services, and supplies for children.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 135.39D, subsections 1 and 5, Code 2019, are amended to read as follows:
   1.  a.  The parent or guardian of a child shall ensure that the child is screened for vision impairment as early as possible, but no later than the child’s first year in any public or private education program or a child care facility as defined in section 237A.1. Such public or private education program shall include but is not limited to child development assistance programs provided under chapter 256A, special education programs provided under section 256B.9, school ready children grant programs and other programs provided under chapter 256I, and federal head start programs. The person who performs a vision screening required pursuant to this paragraph “a” shall report the results of the vision screening to the department pursuant to subsection 4.
   b.  The parent or guardian of a child to be enrolled in a public or accredited nonpublic elementary school shall ensure that the child is screened for vision impairment at least once before enrollment in kindergarten and again before enrollment in grade three. The parent or guardian of the child shall ensure that evidence of the vision screening is provided to the school district or accredited nonpublic school in which the child is enrolled. Evidence of the vision screening may be provided either directly from the parent or guardian or from a vision screening provider referred to in subsection 2, and may be provided in either written or electronic form.
   5.  Each public or private education program or child care facility and public and accredited nonpublic elementary school shall, in collaboration with the department, do the following:
   a.  Provide the parents or guardians of children and students with vision screening referral resources.
   b.  Arrange for evidence of vision screenings provided pursuant to subsection 1 to be forwarded to the department.
    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  514C.35  Vision coverage.
   1.  Notwithstanding the uniformity of treatment requirements of section 514C.6, a policy or contract providing for third-party payment or prepayment of health or medical expenses shall provide coverage for the costs associated with vision screenings, examinations, vision therapy, and services and supplies including glasses or contacts for children, as determined medically necessary by the optometrist or ophthalmologist.
   2.  a.  This section applies to the following classes of third-party payment provider contracts or policies delivered, issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in this state on or after July 1, 2019:
   (1)  Individual or group accident and sickness insurance providing coverage on an expense-incurred basis.
   (2)  An individual or group hospital or medical service contract issued pursuant to chapter 509, 514, or 514A.
   (3)  An individual or group health maintenance organization contract regulated under chapter 514B.
   (4)  Any other entity engaged in the business of insurance, risk transfer, or risk retention, which is subject to the jurisdiction of the commissioner.
   (5)  A plan established pursuant to chapter 509A for public employees.
   b.  This section shall not apply to accident-only, specified disease, short-term hospital or medical, hospital confinement indemnity, credit, dental, Medicare supplement, long-term care, basic hospital and medical-surgical expense coverage as defined by the commissioner, disability income insurance coverage, coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance, workers’ compensation or similar insurance, or automobile medical payment insurance.
    Sec. 3.  CHILD VISION SCREENING WORK GROUP —— REVIEW.  The child vision screening work group shall review the requirements for vision screening and examination, geographically accessible opportunities for the provision of required and necessary vision services and supplies, and the availability of public and private coverage of vision services and supplies, and shall report key findings and recommendations to the governor and the general assembly by November 15, 2019, to increase the percentage of children receiving vision screenings, examinations, and medically necessary services and supplies at as early an age as possible in the state. For the purposes of this section, “child vision screening work group” means the group of eye health professionals in the state established by the director of public health and comprised of licensed ophthalmologists, licensed optometrists, representatives or designees of leading vision organizations, and other stakeholders as determined by the director. 
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires that, in addition to existing requirements for the parent or guardian ensuring that a child to be enrolled in a public or accredited nonpublic elementary school is screened for vision impairment at least once before enrollment in kindergarten and again before enrollment in grade three, the parent or guardian shall ensure that the child is screened for vision impairment as early as possible, but no later than the child’s first year in any public or private education program or a child care facility. The person who performs a vision screening for the additional group of children as required under the bill shall report the results of the vision screening to the department of public health (DPH) as is required for existing vision screenings. The bill also requires that each public or private education program or child care facility in collaboration with DPH provide the parents or guardians of these children with vision screening referral resources.
   The bill requires that a policy or contract delivered, issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in the state on or after July 1, 2019, providing for third-party payment or prepayment of health or medical expenses shall provide coverage benefits for the costs associated with vision screenings, examinations, vision therapy, and services and supplies including glasses or contacts for children, as determined medically necessary by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. 
   The bill requires the child vision screening work group to review the requirements for child vision screening and examination, geographically accessible opportunities for the provision of required and necessary vision services and supplies, and the availability of public and private coverage of vision services and supplies, and to report key findings and recommendations to the governor and the general assembly by November 15, 2019, to increase the percentage of children receiving vision screenings, examinations, and medically necessary services and supplies at as early an age as possible in the state. The child vision screening work group is an existing work group established by the director of public health and comprised of eye health professionals in the state including licensed ophthalmologists, licensed optometrists, representatives or designees of leading vision organizations, and other stakeholders as determined by the director.