Kelly to Health Insurance CEOs: Support the 'Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act'

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, during a Ways & Means Committee hearing, U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA), a member of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health, called on the CEOS from the nation's top health insurance companies to publicly support his popular bipartisan legislation, the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. The legislation would streamline the Medicare Advantage (MA) Prior Authorization process, increase transparency around MA prior authorization, and more life-saving measures.

"If we can avoid the politics and talk about good policy, we can improve health care and lower costs for all Americans," said Rep. Kelly. "Today's hearing with health insurance CEOs highlighted the importance of passing quality bipartisan legislation, including my bill, the 'Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act,' which has nearly 250 co-sponsors. It would modernize and streamline the Medicare Advantage prior authorization process. 33 million Americans, including 1.5 million Pennsylvanians, who rely on Medicare Advantage would greatly benefit from this legislation. I call on these CEOs to support it."

You can watch Rep. Kelly full questioning of the CEOs by clicking here.

The Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act has previously passed the Ways & Means Committee on two separate occasions and has also previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Currently, the bipartisan legislation has 245 co-sponsors.

The legislation would:

• Establish an electronic prior authorization process for MA plans including a standardization for transactions and clinical attachments.
• Increase transparency around MA prior authorization requirements and its use.
• Clarify HHS' authority to establish timeframes for e-prior authorization requests including expedited determinations, real-time decisions for routinely approved items and services, and other prior authorization requests.
• Expand beneficiary protections to improve enrollee experiences and outcomes.
• Require HHS and other agencies to report to Congress on program integrity efforts and other ways to further improve the e-PA process.

You can find bill text here and a section-by-section here.

Hearingwitnesses included:

• Stephen Hemsley -- CEO, UnitedHealth Group
• David Joyner -- Chairman and CEO, CVS Health
• Gail Boudreaux -- President and CEO, Elevance Health
• David Cordani -- President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, The Cigna Group
• Paul Markovich -- President and CEO, Ascendiun

CVS recently endorsed the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act.