Americans for Vision Care Innovation Coalition Applauds Passage of HB 4356

Calls Bill a Huge Win for Consumers & Taxpayers in Michigan

Praises Representative Meerman & Bi-Partisan Leaders in the House for Voting to Allow Online Prescription Renewals in Michigan

LANSING, MI. – Americans for Vision Care Innovation, a bipartisan coalition of taxpayer advocates, consumer groups, think tanks, and innovative companies issued the following statement upon House passage of HB 4356, a bill to allow online vision tests for contact lens and glasses prescription renewals in Michigan. AVCI praised leaders in the House for voting to give millions of Michiganders who wear glasses and contact lenses access to the latest cost saving and time-saving eye care technologies. We encourage Michigan Senators to swiftly approve the bill. Michigan is one of very few states in the country who currently prohibits ocular telemedicine.

“For more than four years, Americans in almost every state in the country have been able to get their prescriptions renewed online via ocular telemedicine technologies, except here in
Michigan. Thanks to the leadership and vision of the Michigan House and bill sponsor Rep Meerman, we are one step closer to online prescription renewal for contacts and glasses here in Michigan. This bill will help save time and money for millions of Michiganders who wear contacts and glasses and save money for taxpayers too, by helping to bring down the cost of vision care.

We are grateful that the House stepped up to make this happen and strongly encourage the Michigan Senate to take up and pass this bill swiftly and the Governor to sign it into law. As we saw during the pandemic, consumers need more options when it comes to vision care.

Those who stand to benefit from denying choice, competition, and modern innovative ocular telemedicine technology from consumers are fighting hard against this bill, spreading misinformation. We urge lawmakers and consumers to get the facts about ocular telemedicine at our website, https://americansforvisioncareinnovation.org. The more consumers learn about online prescription renewals, the more they want to ensure it happens in Michigan. Let’s pass HB 4356.”

More information about HB 4356 and the Americans for Vision Care Innovation Coalition can be found at https://americansforvisioncareinnovation.org.

You can access the press release here.