From New Jersey signing the nation's most comprehensive reform bill into law, to Inova outlining challenges to the CMS administrator, here are five updates on prior authorization that Becker's has reported since Jan. 26:
1. The Mississippi Senate advanced an updated version of a prior authorization bill that was vetoed by the governor last year, but this version's chances of being signed into law remain unlikely.
2. State legislatures have introduced more than 70 prior authorization bills during their current legislative sessions, American Medical Association President Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, said.
3. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed the nation's most comprehensive prior authorization reform bill into law, which implements mandated turnaround times for prior authorization requests under state-regulated health plans, among other requirements.
4. Falls Church, Va.-based Inova Health outlined the challenges of prior authorization at a roundtable discussion with CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.
5. Under CMS' recently finalized prior authorization rule, certain payers will be required to send decisions within 72 hours for urgent requests and seven calendar days for standard requests. American Medical Association President Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, said that this is "arguably the most important change because it's going to save lives."