Terms Used In Tennessee Code 56-31-129

  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of commerce and insurance. See Tennessee Code 56-31-102
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Participating optometrist: means an optometrist duly licensed to practice optometry in this state who contracts in writing with a vision service plan corporation to perform the vision services specified in the subscription certificates issued by the corporation, and at rates of compensation determined by the board of directors of the corporation, and who agrees to abide by the bylaws, rules and regulations of the corporation applicable to participating optometrists. See Tennessee Code 56-31-102
  • Person: includes a natural person, a corporation, an association, a common-law trust or corporation. See Tennessee Code 56-31-102
  • Subscriber: means a person to whom a subscription certificate is issued by a vision care service plan corporation, which sets forth the beneficiaries and the kind and extent of vision service for which the corporation is liable to make payment. See Tennessee Code 56-31-102
  • Subscription: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Vision service: means the usual and general professional services rendered by persons duly licensed under the laws of this state to practice optometry. See Tennessee Code 56-31-102

Any dispute or controversy arising between a vision service plan corporation and any participating optometrist, or any optometrist desiring to become a participating optometrist, or any subscriber, or any other person whose subscription certificate has been cancelled, or to whom the corporation has refused to issue a certificate, may, within thirty (30) days after the dispute or controversy arises, be appealed to the commissioner, by the person allegedly aggrieved, or a person or persons designated by that person. After proper notice and hearing, the commissioner shall make a finding, which shall be binding on any vision service plan corporation or agent of the corporation, subject to judicial review.