SPRINGFIELD — To improve patient protections and strengthen industry oversight, State Senator Cristina Castro led a new law enhancing regulations for vision care organizations throughout Illinois.
“Patients deserve a vision care system that prioritizes access, transparency and choice,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “By holding vision care organizations accountable, we can foster fair competition and ensure patients – not corporate interests – come first.”
Vision care organizations are third-party entities that administer vision insurance benefits, negotiate provider networks, and determine reimbursement rates and coverage policies on behalf of insurers, employers or other health plans. Over time, vision care organizations have gained control of the vision care marketplace. The two largest companies control approximately 85% of all U.S. vision coverage and are vertically integrated, meaning they administer vision plans while also owning eyewear manufacturing. This practice puts small and local eye clinics out of business, discouraging competition.
Illinois currently regulates vision benefits and vision care plans but not vision care organizations – leading Castro to champion this new law – Senate Bill 3707 – to protect patients and the coverage they rely on.
Castro’s law expands patient and provider protections, including providing enrollees with more freedom to choose in-network providers without influence from vision care organizations and preventing vision care organizations from retaliating against eye care providers.
“A strong vision care system depends on accountability,” said Castro. “Closing these loopholes ensures vision care organizations meet the same expectations as other providers and puts patients at the center of the system.”
Senate Bill 3707 was signed on Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
