Healthcare Groups Praise Unanimous Committee Approval of MA Prior Auth Bill
The Law on Improving Timely Access of the Elderly to Care PASSED out of the House Ways and Means Committee unanimously on Wednesday, a move that many health care advocates are applauding.
Representatives Ami Bera (D-California), Mike Kelly (R-Pennsylvania), Suzan DelBene (D-Washington) and John Joyce (R-Pennsylvania) introduced the bill. Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Mark Warner (D-Virginia) introduced a companion bill in the Senate, although it has yet to make it out of committee.
The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act affects prior authorization in Medicare Advantage by requiring standard claims to be completed within seven days and urgent claims to be completed within 72 hours. It also moves to an electronic prior authorization process, requires plans to publicly disclose prior authorization information, requires CMS to evaluate prior authorization processes in real time, and more.
It passed the committee on a 42-0 vote. Now it goes to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The American Health Care Association expressed support for this vote.
“The Improving Timely Access to Seniors Care Act of 2025 builds on significant progress to hold large Medicare Advantage insurers accountable when it comes to prior authorization practices. Many seniors are facing unnecessary delays when it comes to accessing the post-acute care they need,” said Clif Porter, the organization’s president and CEO. “This bipartisan legislation helps improve transparency, ensuring that Medicare Advantage plans are fulfilling their promise to reduce these prior authorization burdens.”
The American Medical Association also applauded the passage of the bill by the Ways and Means Committee, saying it sends a message that more needs to be done to curb “harmful prior authorization delays” for health plans.
“Today’s unanimous vote reflects the growing recognition that prior authorization, when misused, too often stands between patients and their physicians. The AMA applauds the committee’s action and will continue to work with Congress to ensure this legislation becomes law,” said Willie Underwood III, AMA president.
The American Hospital Association also expressed support for the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, but urged lawmakers to restore the original Jan. 1, 2028, deadline for Medicare Advantage plans to adopt a standard electronic prior authorization process, instead of Jan. 1, 2029, the deadline included in a committee substitute.
The House committee also passed several other health care bills, including the Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act, which would improve Medicare reimbursement for remote patient monitoring in rural areas, and the Rural Anesthesiology Medicare Access Act, which seeks to expand access to anesthesia services in rural hospitals.
Photo: MikeyLPT, Getty Images
