The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) has endorsed bipartisan legislation pending in the U.S. Senate and House that would address one of the most administratively burdensome and costly issues for physicians — prior authorization (PA). 

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (S. 4532 / H.R. 8702) will tackle the overuse and abuse of PA by Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, which threatens access to medically-necessary care and increases provider administrative burden. The bill would codify and enhance elements of the Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Processes rule that was finalized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Jan. 17, 2024. 

Lawmakers need to hear from you, their constituents, about why the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act needs to be passed this year.

Take action today by posting a message to your lawmakers on X or by sending a letter. Because time is running short, if you are active on X, you are encouraged to use this option. Select your method of communication in the box to the right of this screen. 

Specifically, the legislation:

• Requires MA plans that impose any PA requirements to establish an electronic PA program that provides for the secure electronic transmission of both PA requests from health care providers and suppliers to the MA plan, as well as the corresponding response from the plan to the provider or supplier.
• Establishes reporting and transparency requirements of MA plans, including percentage and number of specified PA requests that were denied, and the percentage and number of specified requests that were approved, by the plan during the previous plan year using decision support technology, artificial intelligence technology, machine-learning technology, or clinical decision-making technology.
• Requires plans to conduct annual reviews of the items and services subject to PA requirements through a process that takes into account input from enrollees and contracted providers and suppliers.
• Requires CMS and the Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to submit a report to Congress that defines the term “real-time decision” and details a process for real-time decisions for items and services routinely approved (based on data collected through the transparency requirement) for the purposes of the required electronic prior authorization program.