WATCH: Republicans Block Sen. Ossoff’s Amendment to Prevent Insurance Companies from Denying or Delaying Needed Health Care

Washington, D.C. - Senate Republicans blocked U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff's amendment to prevent insurance companies from denying or delaying needed care.

During the Senate budget debate overnight, Sen. Ossoff offered an amendment to prevent insurance companies from denying or delaying needed care, but Senate Republicans blocked Sen. Ossoff's amendment.

"Think of the retired Georgia teacher who had paid over $100,000 into a cancer policy only to be diagnosed with cancer and have her insurance claims denied. Think of the Monroe County mother of three diagnosed with cancer who needed a liver transplant, was told she had 6 to 12 months to live and had to fight her insurance company because her claim was denied, or the thousands of Georgia children who have had their claims for needed health care denied," Sen. Ossoff said on the Senate floor.

"This amendment will ensure that this legislation prevents insurance companies from denying or delaying medically necessary health care for the American people. Let's pass this amendment and protect Americans' health care," Sen. Ossoff continued.

Click here to watch Sen. Ossoff's remarks on the Senate floor.

A recent Johns Hopkins study found that the practice of prior authorization, where patients must seek approval from their insurance company before receiving care, was "associated with disease exacerbation, preventable hospitalization, prolonged hospital stay, and lower rates of disease-free survival."

According to KFF, virtually all seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage must obtain prior authorization for some services, and in 2024 over four million of these requests were denied.

KFF also found that of the approximately 85 million Affordable Care Act (ACA) in-network denied claims in 2024, less than 1% were appealed, forcing patients either to pay for services out-of-pocket, despite having "coverage," or forgoing care - solely because of decisions made by insurance companies.

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