FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 19, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT: 

e: brian.phillips@mail.house.gov

c: 202.913.0126

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) led 16 of her colleagues in a letter to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urging him to include the problems of Vision Benefit Manager (VBM) abuse while addressing harmful consolidation, middlemen practices, and vertical integration in healthcare.

“As Congress works to confront the harmful methods and practices of healthcare middlemen, we ask for your support in advancing policies to address the negative impacts of consolidation and vertical integration in the vision insurance industry, which continue to harm American families, particularly those within traditionally underserved communities. The rise in inequities across America – notably in health spaces – is well documented. And the key drivers of that growing imbalance, especially for those with modest incomes, the elderly, and communities of color, remain spiraling costs, a lack of benefit transparency, and dwindling control over important healthcare decisions,” wrote the members. “Through Executive Order 14036, President Biden has identified excessive concentration and market power abuses by insurers as significant sources of these issues and has committed to addressing them. Reports consistently show that the vision insurance market is highly concentrated, with the top vision insurer controlling more than 70 percent of the market. While vision insurance is typically offered for a low premium, once consumers utilize that benefit, they’re faced with a system rigged by their vision benefit manager to limit choice, control behavior, and maximize profit at every step of the process.”

“Doctors and patients in New York and across America welcome this unified call for an immediate Congressional crackdown on VBM abuses now leading to rising health care costs, dwindling choices, and a disruption of the doctor-patient relationship,” said American Optometric Association president Ronald L. Benner, O.D. “As a champion in Washington, D.C. for quality care and expanded patient access, Rep. Clarke is putting insurers, plans and other health care middlemen on notice that Congress will hold them fully accountable.” 

Read the full letter here.

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