RS 22:997 Visual services, choice of practitioners - Louisiana Statutes

§997.  Visual services, choice of practitioners

Whenever any contract of insurance or any medical or hospital service contract or hospital and medical service contract issued or delivered in this state provides for reimbursement of any visual services which are within the lawful scope of practice of a duly licensed optometrist as defined in R.S. 37:1041, the insured or other person entitled to benefits under such contract shall be entitled to reimbursements for such services, whether such services are performed by a duly licensed physician or a duly licensed optometrist, notwithstanding any provision of the law to the contrary or any provision in any such contract; duly licensed optometrist shall be entitled to participate in such contracts providing for visual services to the same extent as duly licensed physicians.  There shall be no discrimination in the amount of reimbursement allowed for such visual services, whether performed by an optometrist or physician, in instances where the services performed are within the lawful scope of practice of both professions.

Added by Acts 1972, No. 60, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 22:664 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009.