(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the commission shall ensure that a Medicaid managed care plan offered by a Medicaid managed care organization and any other Medicaid managed care model or arrangement implemented under this chapter allow a recipient receiving services through the plan or other model or arrangement to, in the manner and to the extent required by § 32.072, Human Resources Code:
(1) select an in-network ophthalmologist or therapeutic optometrist in the managed care network to provide eye health care services other than surgery; and
(2) have direct access to the selected in-network ophthalmologist or therapeutic optometrist for the nonsurgical services.
(b) This section does not affect the obligation of an ophthalmologist or therapeutic optometrist in a managed care network to comply with the terms of the Medicaid managed care plan.

Text of section effective on April 01, 2025