The American Medical Association and Medical Group Management Association praised the House Ways and Means Committee for passing a healthcare package that included a bill aiming to reform the Medicare Advantage prior authorization process.
AMA President Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, said in a July 26 statement that the bill's passage is a victory for patients and physicians.
"The unfortunate reality is that prior authorization is overused, costly, inefficient, opaque and responsible for patient care delays and denials that often lead to poor health care outcomes," he said. "As a result, [AMA] consistently urges Congress to restrict its use in Medicare Advantage."
MGMA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Anders Gilberg said in a July 26 statement that if passed, the legislation would lessen the administrative burden for medical groups by modernizing the approval process.
"By requiring MA plans to publicly reveal what services are subject to prior authorization, how many are approved and how long on average they take to approve — this legislation will drive plan accountability," he said.
The legislation now moves to the full House for further consideration.