The administrative burden that comes with requesting the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries has become a pain point for providers. This has led to delays in beneficiaries receiving medically necessary care and impacting clinical outcomes.  

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/S. 4532) aims to improve the current prior authorization system by requiring the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to streamline the way Medicare Advantage plans use prior authorization. This legislation would establish an electronic prior authorization process, require real-time decisions for services that are routinely approved, increase transparency by requiring MA plans to report to CMS on their use of prior authorization (including their rates of approval, denial, and average time of approval), and press them to do a better job of incorporating input from health care providers in their authorization programs and decisions.

Please ask your members of Congress to cosponsor the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act.