Senator Wesley Meredith is North Carolina State Optometric Society’s Legislator of the Year

RALEIGH, N.C. - Oct. 22, 2014 - PRLog -- Senator Wesley Meredith is the 2014 Legislator of the Year for the North Carolina State Optometric Society. Representative Mike Stone will also receive the Legislator of the Year award for leading the effort in the House. The award is given to the Legislator who best supports the profession of optometry in North Carolina. The award will be presented to Senator Meredith at the North Carolina State Optometric Society’s Fall Congress in Asheville in November.

“Senator Meredith understands the important role that optometry plays in the delivery of high quality, medical eyecare in North Carolina.”, said, Dr. Charles V. Sikes, Jr, President of the North Carolina State Optometric Society.

As lead sponsor of S. 477, Senator Meredith led the charge to prohibit insurers from forcing optometrists to provide discounts on services and materials not covered by the insurer.  Dr. Sikes added that “By allowing optometrists in North Carolina the freedom to set their prices based on the competitive free market, we are better able to run our businesses and focus on serving our patients and our communities.  With this legislation, our businesses are stronger and able to create more jobs across the state.  Senator Meredith was able to see a situation which was unfair and extremely burdensome on our segment of small business, so he was willing to take on substantial opposition to do the right thing.”

The North Carolina State Optometric Society represents North Carolina optometrists who provide primary eye care services.  The vision of NCSOS is protecting and improving eye health and vision in North Carolina.  The mission is advocating for optometrists so they can best serve eye health and vision needs in North Carolina.