Three things to know:
1. State Rep. Jonathan Karlen is sponsoring two bills, according to the report. The first aims to remove prior authorization for most generic drugs, inhalers and insulin. The second bill would ensure that patients cannot be denied a medication when switching payers and awaiting authorization from their new insurer. Additionally, the second bill would only allow a physician with a matching speciality to deny a treatment or procedure.
2. State Rep. Ed Buttrey plans to introduce a bill that would impose a seven-day limit to decide whether to authorize expensive biologic treatments, according to the report. If payers don’t meet that deadline, the treatment will be automatically approved. His bill would also eliminate most retroactive denials.
3. State Sen. Vince Ricci told KFF Health News that he is drafting bills that could impose even stricter limits on prior authorization for medications used to treat various conditions.
