DIRECT ACCESS TO EYE HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

(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 Section 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.