ISEPS Legislative Project . . . 
Eye Drop Bill to Fill Rx Gap

The Illinois Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons is working with key members of the Illinois General Assembly on proposed legislation that would require health insurance plans to permit "early refills" of certain eye medications when the patient runs out of their eye drops.

House Bill 3137 -- sponsored in the House by Reps. Dan Brady, Ron Sandack, Laura Fine, Mary E. Flowers, Al Riley and Silvana Tabares; and in the Senate by Sen. Terry Link -- requires health insurers who provide prescription coverage to pay for refills of eye drops for chronic eye diseases or conditions (such as glaucoma or dry eye) once 75% of the anticipated time for the prescription has been reached.

Status Updates 

• Hearing in the Insurance Committee:  "Do Pass" 19-2 (3/17/2015)
• Passed in the House, 4/14/2015; 112-0
• Passed in the Senate, 5/19/2015; 54-0
• Signed by the Governor, 8/3/2015; Public Act 099-0226

Background Information

• View the ISEPS Fact Sheet on this topic
• House Insurance Committee testimony
• Questions & Answers about HB 3137
• Read the Page 1 story by the Chicago Tribune published on 3/6/2015
• Print version of the story
• Online version - Eye drop bill aims to fill refill gaps
• Link to HB 3137
• Statements from interested organizations
• American Glaucoma Society
• American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Federal Policy (Medicare) on "early" eye drop refills
• NEW!  Download a Patient Fact Sheet that explains the new law (PDF format)