Providence Journal: R.I. Should Push Innovation, Not Protectionism
By: Mike Stenhouse and Drew Johnson –
Every Rhode Island family should be able to select the affordable, high-quality health care that’s best for them. But protectionist policies being introduced in the Rhode Island General Assembly would limit those options when it comes to vision prescriptions.
Rhode Islanders often pay above market rates for glasses and contact lenses. However, new technology has the power to change this by lowering prices and increasing convenience for consumers — that is, unless new anti-competition legislation is passed into law.
Optometrists are unique in that they are among the only medical professionals that sell what they prescribe. Oftentimes, they conveniently forget to provide copies of vision prescriptions to patients, or they advise them to purchases lenses directly from eye care offices at inflated prices.