Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Vice Chairman of the House Rules Committee, and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) introduced the Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation seeking to ban the use of robocalls to verify patient information and ensure that American patients receive the correct prescription while protecting their personal medical information. 

“Today, Americans know the benefits and expect the convenience of modern technology,” said Congressman Burgess. “Patients deserve the choice to safely purchase contact lenses without the risk of receiving the incorrect prescription. Unfortunately, online contact lens sellers are still allowed to verify prescriptions using an automated voice message or robocall. This can result in incorrect prescriptions and sometimes permanent eye damage or blindness. The Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act prohibits robocalls for contact lens prescription verifications and extends HIPAA protections to correspondence between a patient and an online seller. This bill will maintain consumers’ freedom while ensuring that physicians can safely verify their patients’ prescriptions. I am grateful for Congresswoman Blunt Rochester joining me in this effort to protect American consumers.”

“I am proud to join with my colleagues in introducing the Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act. Since coming to Congress, one of my top priorities in Congress has been ensuring that consumers are protected from malicious and intentionally deceptive business practices,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester.  “Given the damage that unregulated and unprescribed contact lenses can cause, it only makes sense to ensure that there is proper oversight and protection for American consumers.  The Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act will do just that.”

“The introduction of the Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act in the United States House of Representatives is a major step to protect contact lens users from harmful current practices in the contact lens market and modernize how contact lens prescriptions are verified,” said Dr. David Cockrell, Chairman of the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety.