- Contact:
Peggy Tighe
(202) 256-6241
Congress’ Failure to Pass No-Cost, Broadly Supported, Unopposed Bill Leaves Seniors with More Delays and Denials of Necessary Health Care from Unaccountable Medicare Advantage Plans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the last gasp of the 118th Congress, federal policymakers have a choice – to protect Medicare seniors or to allow insurance companies to delay and deny care for some of our nation’s most vulnerable patients.
We are outraged to report that Congress has chosen the latter option by failing to include The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (Seniors’ Act) – S. 4532 /H.R. 8702 in the pending end of year package. The Seniors’ Act is bipartisan legislation that would protect Medicare Advantage (MA) program enrollees from unnecessary delays and denials of medically necessary care by streamlining and standardizing prior authorization (PA) in MA.
The Regulatory Relief Coalition (RRC) and its over 500 allies call on Congress to immediately enact this bill and these critically important issues now or when it reconvenes in 2025.
The legislation meets every requirement to become law this year in an end-of-year package. The Seniors’ Act:
- Received a ZERO SCORE from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
- Earned a majority of co-sponsors in the House (231) and Senate (60).
- Moved through two House committees and unanimously passed the House of Representatives.
- Was endorsed by 500+ patient groups, provider groups, insurers, and other health care stakeholders.
- Was bolstered by dozens of studies, reports, and surveys evidencing the very serious harm to patient care caused by MA insurer delays and denials.
Read full press release here.
