On Tuesday, State Senator Scott Wilk, R- Santa Clarita, announced that Senate Bill (SB)1089, or the ‘Better Vision Act,’ had passed out of the state senate.

It was announced this week by Senator Wilk that the Better Vision Act, or SB 1089, had passed out of the state senate.

“Bureaucratic red tape has needlessly prevented eye care professionals from serving their Medi-Cal patients in a way that those patients expect and deserve,” Wilk said. “In choosing eyeglasses, providers should make decisions based only on patient well-being.”

The Better Vision Act would permit optometrists who participate in Medi-Cal to get eyeglasses for Medi-Cal beneficiaries from private suppliers, according to officials with Wilk’s office.

The use of private suppliers for eyeglasses would be based on an assessment of a patient’s need and eyeglass quality, according to officials.

Within current law, Medi-Cal beneficiaries must be given glasses produced by the California Prison Industry Authority (PIA).

According to Wilk’s office, the PIA often produces poor quality frames and incorrectly prescribed lenses for Medi-Cal patients, in addition to frequent long wait times that can last for months. 

“SB 1089 doesn’t prevent a provider from using the PIA to obtain eyeglasses; it simply gives that provider more options in seeking out the best eye-care solution for their Medi-Cal patients,” Wilk said. “This bill is a no-brainer – prioritizing patients and their individual situations should not be controversial, and I am glad that my Senate Colleagues overwhelmingly agreed.”

The Better Vision Act, or SB 1089, will now be moved to the California State Assembly and voted upon before being signed into law.

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