Federal lawmakers have reintroduced the “Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act,” a bipartisan bill that aims to streamline the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage enrollees.
The proposal would establish an electronic prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans, standardize transactions and clinical attachments, increase transparency, and clarify HHS’ authority to set timeframes for requests. It also focuses on expanding beneficiary protections and requires reporting to Congress on program integrity and improvements to the electronic prior auth process.
The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Mark Warner, D-Va., and supported by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Jim Rechtin, Humana’s CEO and president, issued a statement in support of the bill on May 21.
“Humana’s job is to ensure our members have access to high quality, affordable healthcare,” he said. “We support efforts in the House and Senate to move the Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act forward quickly. It is a common-sense approach to making healthcare easier by modernizing the prior authorization process.”
The Better Medicare Alliance, AHA and AMA are all in support of the legislation.
