Published: February 2018

Bill would block competition and choice in the contact lens market in Kentucky

Consumer Action joined the National Taxpayers Union in a letter to members of the Kentucky State Senate opposing legislation (HB 191) that would restrict the right of state residents to renew contact lens or glasses prescriptions online.

Consumer Action and the National Taxpayers Union wrote to members of the Kentucky State Senate in opposition to HB 191, legislation currently before the State Senate that would severely restrict the rights of close to one million Kentucky residents to renew contact lens or glasses prescriptions online. Currently Kentucky and 38 other states allow residents to renew contact lens or glasses prescriptions online.

It is important to note that online prescription renewals don’t replace the need for periodic comprehensive eye exams. The online renewal process is only for healthy adults who are between recommended eye exams and whose prescriptions generally haven’t changed. 

The groups believe HB 191 would hurt rural customers, people in communities with no eye doctors and working families by making it more expensive and time consuming to renew an eyeglass or contact lens prescription. It would also cost taxpayers more by making it almost impossible for state and local health plans to use ocular telemedicine to reduce costs.

Click here to read the letter (PDF).

Other Organizations

National Taxpayers Union

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Bill would block competition and choice in the contact lens market in Kentucky   (KY_Senate_Vision_Letter.pdf)