The American Optometric Association is calling out what it describes as misleading and harmful tactics from the vision benefit manager (VBM) lobby. Through its trade group, the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP), the VBM industry has ramped up efforts to oppose federal legislation aimed at reforming abusive contracting practices.
AOA leaders say NAVCP has circulated inaccurate materials in Washington, D.C., including claims that optometrists impose excessive markups on frames and lenses and suggestions that pending bills would disrupt continuity of care. NAVCP has gone further, disparaging optometrists publicly by characterizing them as “salespeople.”
Strong statements have come from AOA leadership in response:
“It is telling — but not surprising — that NAVCP and VBMs at large are opposing us as they are,” says AOA President Jacquie M. Bowen, OD. “Their reliance on scare tactics and misinformation is designed to mask the truth: Their business models depend on restricting doctor choice, suppressing competition, and prioritizing profits over patients. No matter the other side’s vast resources or apparent eagerness to denigrate the integrity of our profession, our AOA will never allow the VBMs to have the last word on Capitol Hill, with the media, or with the public.”
At the center of the clash are two bills now before Congress: the Vision Lab Choice Act (S. 1716) and the Dental and Optometric Care Access Act (H.R. 1521). These measures would prevent VBMs from steering doctors to labs or suppliers they own or control and would protect optometrists from restrictive contract terms that limit professional judgment and patient choice. Advocates argue that the reforms would curb anti-competitive behavior, protect patient access, and preserve doctors’ ability to provide care based on clinical, not corporate, priorities.
The VBM lobby has fought hard against these proposals, including mounting legal challenges to state-level reforms such as Texas’ 2023 law regulating vision benefit plans. While NAVCP recently agreed to retract some materials after AOA fact-checking revealed errors, the group has not committed to changing its lobbying tactics or hostile rhetoric, which optometry advocates say reflect a broader pattern of misinformation and antagonism.
What’s at stake
- If the Vision Lab Choice Act advances, ODs could decide where to send lab work without being forced into VBM-owned facilities.
- The DOC Access Act would limit take-it-or-leave-it contracts that lock doctors into unfavorable terms. Expect clearer, more equitable agreements if these reforms succeed.
- These bills aim to restore clinical decision-making to the exam room, cutting back on the influence of corporate entities that prioritize profit margins over patient care.
Estimated timeline
Both bills are currently at the same stage. Here’s a rough, best-case scenario timeline, assuming things go relatively smoothly:
Late 2025: Committees hold hearings, possibly markups, especially following AOA advocacy around AOA on Capitol Hill.
Early 2026: Bills reported out of committees, floor votes in one or both chambers.
Mid-2026: If both pass, negotiations (if needed), then final passage.
Late 2026: Implementation and oversight could begin. If Congress delays action, however, the bills risk stalling out well before then.
The future of these reforms depends on continued advocacy from within the profession. ODs and students can:
- Participate in AOA on Capitol Hill (September 28, 2025) to meet with lawmakers directly.
- Contact your senators and representatives to voice support for the Vision Lab Choice Act and DOC Access Act.
- Share your experiences with restrictive plan practices to help illustrate why these reforms matter.
Sample script for contacting reps
Find contact information for your representatives here:
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Subject: Please Support the Vision Lab Choice Act (S. 1716) and DOC Access Act (H.R. 1521)
Dear [Senator/Representative],
My name is [Your Name], and I am an optometrist/student practicing in [City, State]. I am writing to ask for your support of the Vision Lab Choice Act (S. 1716) and the Dental and Optometric Care Access Act (H.R. 1521).
These bills are critical to protecting patients’ access to quality eye care. Current practices by vision benefit managers often force doctors into restrictive contracts and limit the labs or suppliers we can use, which drives up costs and undermines the doctor-patient relationship.
In my own experience, these rules make it harder to put patients’ needs first. Supporting these bills will ensure that our decisions in the exam room are guided by clinical expertise, not corporate mandates.
I urge you to co-sponsor and support these reforms to promote fair, transparent, patient-centered care.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Practice/School]
[City, State]
