Interventional cardiologists back prior authorization bill, call current policies ‘costly' and ‘time consuming’
The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) has issued a statement in support of new bipartisan legislation that would simplify the prior authorization process for patients on Medicare Advantage plans.
The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, if signed into law, would establish an electronic prior authorization process, help cardiologists and other clinicians gain real-time approval of routinely approved medical services and work to make prior authorization requirements more transparent, among other things. It was reintroduced to Congress on May 13 by U.S. Representatives Susan DelBene, Mike Kelly, Ami Bera and Larry Bucshon.
“Prior authorization is costly and time consuming,” Timothy D. Henry, MD, SCAI president, said in a prepared statement. “The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2021 works to reform this process and improve patient outcomes. This type of ‘red tape’ is bad for patients, bad for physicians and bad for taxpayers.”
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) shared its support of the legislation back on May 13. The SCAI and ACC are both members of the Regulatory Relief Commission, an organization focused on “removing regulatory barriers to timely access to care.”
“In order to help preserve the patient-physician relationship and in order to streamline care, we are excited about the transparency and oversight that will be brought to the Medicare Advantage program by the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, and look forward to working with Congress and other parties to make the system better for our cardiovascular patients,” Samuel O. Jones, MD, IV, chair of the ACC Health Affairs Committee, said at the time.
The full text of the proposed legislation can be read here.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.