# Virginia HB490: Health insurance; coverage for early refills of prescription eye drops.

Virginia HB490, Health insurance; coverage for early refills of prescription eye drops., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Patrick A. Hope (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0153)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB490-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB490
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Health insurance; coverage for early refills of prescription eye drops.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0153)
- Sponsor: Patrick A. Hope (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 9 (241 yes, 6 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Health insurance; coverage for early refills of prescription eye drops. Prohibits a health carrier from denying coverage to a covered person of an early refill of prescription eye drops if (i) the prescription eye drops are a covered benefit, (ii) the amount of time that has elapsed from the previous dispensing of such prescription would result in at least 85 percent of such prescription eye drops being used if taken consistently with the prescriber's directions, and (iii) the prescriber has indicated that additional quantities are medically necessary and the refill requested does not exceed such additional quantity. The provisions of the bill are applicable to contracts, policies, or plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2027.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Insurance must cover early eye-drop refills: benefit, low. If your plan covers outpatient prescription drugs, it must cover early refills of prescription eye drops. The refill is covered when at least 85% of the prior supply would be used if taken as directed. Your prescriber must say more is medically necessary, and the refill cannot exceed that added amo…
- Plans not covered by this eye-drop rule: cost, low. This law does not make plans cover eye drops if they do not include prescription drug benefits. It also does not apply to short-term travel, accident-only, or limited disease policies. It excludes contracts designed for people eligible for Medicare and short-term nonrenewable plans of six months or…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Patrick A. Hope (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 93 | 4 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 6 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations | pass | 20 | 2 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (33)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0153) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 153 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-12: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB490ER) (House)
- 2026-03-12: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB490) (House)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-05: Passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Commerce and Labor (13-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed House (93-Y 4-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB490) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-02-16: committee amendment agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-15: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-13: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-13: Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-05: Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (20-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-02-05: Assigned HAPP sub: Compensation and Retirement (House)
- 2026-02-03: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-03: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (9-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB490) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #1 (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102668D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216742.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216741.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201155.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201154.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-16: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1148710.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1148709.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1129895.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115875.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115094.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084656.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084654.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216742.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216741.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201155.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201154.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1148710.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1148709.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1129895.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115875.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115094.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084656.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084654.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB490-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).