(a) Notwithstanding any provisions in such policies or contracts which might be construed to the contrary, from and after July 1, 1981, all individual and group or blanket policies of accident and sickness insurance and individual or group service or indemnity contracts issued by nonprofit corporations, pursuant to Chapters 18 and 19 of this title, or by health care corporations, pursuant to Chapter 20 of this title, which policies are issued, delivered, issued for delivery, amended, or renewed in this state and which provide coverage for services which are within the lawful scope of practice of an optometrist duly licensed to practice in this state, shall be deemed to provide that any person covered under such policies or contracts shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for such services under such policies or contracts regardless of whether they are rendered by a duly licensed doctor of medicine or by a duly licensed optometrist.

(b) This Code section shall not be construed so as to impair the obligation of any policy or contract which is in existence prior to July 1, 1981.