ASA Endorses Legislation to Fix MA Prior Authorization

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) yesterday endorsed S. 4518 / H.R. 8702, re-introduced legislation to address barriers to care presented by insurer’s prior authorization practices.  This bipartisan bill is targeted at modifying prior reauthorization requirements as they relate to health insurance for senior Americans, specifically, to help reduce the delays associated with accessing care in the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act was introduced in the Senate by Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), John Thune (R-SD) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN) and Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA). 

Prior authorization has long been utilized by insurance companies to deny and limit patient access to needed health care. According to the sponsors, the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act would establish an electronic prior authorization process for MA plans, increase transparency around MA prior authorization requirements, expand beneficiary protections, and require agencies to report to Congress on the program’s efforts, among other things.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act unanimously passed the House last Congress and was cosponsored by a majority of members in the Senate and House of Representatives.  ASA is joined by more than 370 state and national organizations supporting the legislation, which codifies recent regulatory action.  A full list of endorsing organizations is available here.

Read the Congressional press release on the bill’s reintroduction here.