Warner, Marshall Introduce Bill to Improve Seniors’ Access to Care

WASHINGTON –U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) today reintroduced theImproving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act– bipartisan, zero-cost legislation to improve access to care for seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. The bill focuses on streamlining the often cumbersome and time-consuming prior authorization process, ultimately allowing healthcare providers to spend more time on patient care rather than administrative burdens.
This legislation would help physicians better serve and improve care for the32.8 million Americans.
“Our seniors deserve high-quality care delivered in a timely fashion. I am proud to introduce this legislation that takes commonsense steps to modernize the prior authorization process, cutting through red tape, streamlining approvals, and making sure our health care providers are focused on what really matters — supporting their patients,”Sen. Warner said.
“Prior authorization is the number one administrative burden facing physicians today across all specialties,”Sen. Marshall said.“As a physician, I understand the frustration this arbitrary process is causing health care practices across the country and the headaches it creates for our nurses. With the bipartisan, bicameral Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, we will streamline prior authorization and help improve patient outcomes and access to quality care.”
Joining Sens. Warner and Marshall are U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Fetterman (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), James Lankford (R-OK), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Andy Kim (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AK), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Cornyn (R-TX), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ted Budd (R-NC), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Hoeven (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Chris Coons (D-DE).
“Too often, seniors face unnecessarily complicated and burdensome prior authorization processes that can become a barrier to receiving care,”Sen. Hassan said.“This bipartisan legislation is a commonsense way to support seniors on Medicare Advantage in accessing care, and to help health care providers focus on their patients instead of paperwork.”
“Prior authorization places more importance on process than patients. As a doctor, I want that to change. Let’s make sure seniors are receiving timely care,”Sen. Cassidy said.
“Too often, seniors have to wait to receive vital care because of administrative burdens like prior authorization. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, which will streamline prior authorization and reduce unnecessary health care delays,”Sen. Capito said.
“Seniors across the Cowboy State rely on Medicare, but too often, bureaucratic red tape gets in the way of timely care,”Sen. Lummis said.“I am proud to join my colleagues across the aisle to streamline the prior authorization process and put patients over paperwork.”
“Excessive administrative burdens within the Medicare Advantage program means too many seniors receive delayed benefits, while our health care providers are overwhelmed by paperwork. The current system isn’t working well for anyone, and it’s time we take meaningful action to fix it. This commonsense legislation is a necessary step in the right direction,”Sen. Hyde-Smith said.
“Health care providers handling mountains of paperwork takes up valuable time and can unnecessarily delay older folks’ access to the crucial care they need,”Sen. Kaine said.“I’m proud to champion this bipartisan legislation to modernize and streamline health care processes to ensure that Americans covered by Medicare Advantage can more swiftly access care and empower health care providers to direct more of their time to their patients.”
“Quality, expedited medical care should always be within reach for seniors, and our providers deserve a system that helps them focus on delivering it,”Sen. Boozman said.“I’m pleased to join this bipartisan effort to end the inefficient process that delays Medicare Advantage beneficiaries’ evaluations and treatments while removing an unnecessary, bureaucratic burden on clinicians.”
“Doctors and health care providers are too often bogged down by unnecessary burdens, which can lead to delayed care and negative outcomes for patients,”Sen. Cornyn said.“By streamlining the prior authorization process under Medicare Advantage, this legislation would cut red tape, improve enrollee experiences, and ensure seniors receive the timely care they deserve.
“Improving the prior authorization process will help seniors have quicker access to the health care they need and remove administrative hurdles for physicians,”Sen. Moran said.“This legislation would make commonsense changes to better support thousands of seniors in Kansas and remove the red tape that is costing doctors and patients valuable time.”
“Senior citizens have spent their entire lives contributing to our communities, and they deserve every resource to support their health and well-being,”Sen. Gillibrand said.“The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act will help cut through unnecessary red tape and ensure timely medical care is accessible to older Americans. Seniors should have reliable access to specialist care, mental health support, preventative services, and the treatments they need to live with dignity. I am proud to support this important legislation, and I pledge to continue fighting to expand access to quality, affordable, and timely health care for our seniors.”
“Seniors with Medicare Advantage plans should not have to endure unnecessary delays when seeking medical treatment, and sometimes even life-saving care,”Sen. Hirono said.“This legislation will help to reduce these arbitrary waiting periods, streamlining prior authorization processes to ensure that health care providers can treat and care for their patients in an efficient manner.”
“North Carolina seniors shouldn’t face unnecessary delays when trying to access the care they need through Medicare Advantage,”Sen. Tillissaid.“I’m proud to support this bipartisan, commonsense legislation that streamlines the prior authorization process, cuts red tape for providers, and ensures patients get timely access to treatment.”
U.S. Reps John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA-13), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), and Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA-06) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
This legislation is supported by the Better Medicare Alliance, Humana, and 138 other health care organizations.
“Prior authorization helps keep health care costs low and ensures seniors are getting the most appropriate care. But the process should be easier. The changes put forth in this legislation are long overdue and will help ensure seniors can get the care they need without delay,”Mary Beth Donahue, President and CEO of Better Medicare Alliance, said.“We are proud to support this bill and thank Senators Marshall and Warner, and Representatives Kelly, DelBene, Bera, and Joyce for their leadership. We look forward to continued work on this issue with Congress and the Administration.”
“Humana’s job is to ensure our members have access to high quality, affordable healthcare.  We support efforts in the House and Senate to move the Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act forward quickly,”Jim Rechtin, Humana CEO, said.“It is a common-sense approach to making healthcare easier by modernizing the prior authorization process.”
Background:
TheImproving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Actwould:
The full text of the legislation can be foundhere.
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