AZ SB1224

Amends Arizona Revised Statutes section 20-1406 regarding group and blanket disability insurance contracts to ensure benefits are not denied for services performed by licensed health care providers within their lawful scope of practice.

Requires that if a disability insurance contract provides eye care services, subscribers have freedom of choice to select either an optometrist or a physician skilled in eye diseases for examination, care, or treatment within the provider's scope of practice.

Clarifies that insurers are not required to include specific optometrists or physicians on provider panels if the panel provides reasonable access to both types of eye care providers in the service area.

Specifies that unless a contract otherwise provides, there is no mandatory reimbursement for ophthalmic materials, lenses, spectacles, or eyeglasses, and insurers cannot require optometrists or physicians to join specific plans as a condition of panel inclusion.

Maintains existing provisions regarding reimbursement for psychiatric, drug abuse, and alcoholism services in disability insurance contracts, allowing reimbursement to either the licensed provider or subscriber.