The Promise of Telehealth in Oklahoma and Beyond
Oklahoma lags behind other states when it comes to freeing up its
healthcare markets, and a recent debate in the state legislature shows that
politicians in the Sooner State are still attempting to find the right balance.
Oklahoma is a so-called “two-door” state when it comes to vision
care, meaning that it requires a separate entrance and a wall of separation
between eyecare centers and larger retail stores that sell other goods and
products. It also forbids stores from selling prescription eyewear unless it
makes up a majority of the store’s sales.
These provisions make it difficult for many retail stores to
provide vision services in the state. Last year, state residents were asked to
vote on a ballot question that would have allowed large retailers to offer more
eyecare services. Our team supported reforming these barriers as
a way to increase commercial freedom and consumer access in Oklahoma, but the
measure lost narrowly.
This year, legislators are attempting to find a compromise with new
legislation that would implement
reforms for retailing options in the state. However, the bill also includes
language that could make the use of ocular telehealth services more difficult
for Oklahoma residents. For instance, the bill’s requirement of frequent
in-person eye exams could undermine online prescription renewals, which many
patients understandably prefer as an easier alternative to physically visiting
a vision center.
Telehealth shows tremendous potential to lower consumer and
taxpayer costs and to increase access to care in remote
and rural regions. Furthermore, research has consistently demonstrated that
telehealth services are as safe as other forms of healthcare.
Vision care has historically been rife with
protectionism and other negative impulses, which makes it all the more important
for policymakers to strike the right balance. Ultimately, whether it is
in-store care or online telehealth, the focus should always be on what is best
for the consumer–and for freedom.
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