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- Prior authorization bill nears milestone in the House
The Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act (S 1816/HR 3514) is just a few co-sponsors away from hitting two-thirds support in the House of Representatives.
- 290 co-sponsors is a symbolic "magic number" as it’s a threshold for overriding a presidential veto and passing certain other appropriations.
- As of today, HR 3514 has 283 co-sponsors after Reps. Sheri Biggs (R-SC) and Brian Babin (R-TX) signed on to the bill last Wednesday.
The CAP has supported the bill’s passage since it was introduced almost a year ago.
- We've asked pathologists to use our Action Center to encourage lawmakers to pass the bill.
Background: The zero-cost bill would simplify the prior authorization process in Medicare Advantage and improve access to care for more than 32.8 million seniors.
The impact: Streamlined prior authorization would allow physicians to spend more time on patient care and less on administrative red tape.
Key provisions: The bill would codify and strengthen CMS’ 2024 electronic prior authorization rule.
- It pushes Medicare Advantage plans toward faster electronic processes rather than manual approvals.
- It aims to standardize, automate, and make prior authorization more transparent, reducing inappropriate denials.
The bill has earned strong bipartisan backing in past Congresses, including unanimous House passage in 2022.