New Mexico Statutes
Article 2 - Optometry
Section 61-2-16 - Freedom of choice. (Repealed effective July 1, 2024.)

A. In expending public money for any purpose involving the care of vision, any state board, commission or department created or existing by statute, including public schools or other state or municipal agencies or any of their employees, who, in the performance of their duties, are responsible for such expenditures shall not, directly or indirectly, refer the name or address of any particular ocular practitioner or system of practice to any person eligible for a vision examination or the correction of any visual or muscular anomaly, except in emergency situations.
B. Every policy of insurance or medical or health service contract providing for payment or reimbursement for any eye care service shall be construed to include payment or reimbursement for professional services rendered by a licensed optometrist, and no insurance policy or medical or health service contract shall discriminate between ocular practitioners rendering similar services.
History: 1953 Comp., § 67-1-14, enacted by Laws 1973, ch. 353, § 14; 1985, ch. 241, § 6; 2003, ch. 274, § 7.
Delayed repeals. — For delayed repeal of this section, see 61-2-18 NMSA 1978.
The 2003 amendment, effective June 20, 2003, deleted the last sentence in Subsection A which read: "For the purpose of this subsection, 'ocular practitioner' includes all validly licensed optometrists, physicians and surgeons."

Structure New Mexico Statutes