The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2024 (H.R. 8702/S. 4532) has achieved significant bipartisan support in recent weeks, reaching 166 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives and 47 cosponsors in the U.S. Senate. The legislation builds on regulatory action taken by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services earlier this year, requiring the use of electronic prior authorization, tightening response timelines and updating transparency requirements.

The ACC has been a driving force behind this legislation, from working with the bill authors to incorporate a series of positive reforms to meeting with key policymakers to urge its reintroduction this year. The continued momentum for reform comes following a major push by ACC’s grassroots network to share clinician perspectives with Congress on how prior authorization burdens can lead to unnecessary delays in patient care and contribute to burnout among health care professionals.

More than 1,000 members have sent messages to their members of Congress urging support for this bill to date. Members looking to add their voices can send their own message to lawmakers here.

Prior authorization reform has long been a priority for the ACC when engaging with lawmakers, and keeping the issue front-of-mind for lawmakers has helped raise awareness of the many negative impacts prior authorization burden can have on clinician and patient well-being. It is also why many cosponsors from last Congress are signing on as original cosponsors to this reintroduced bill.

Addressing administrative burden will likely be on the agenda, along with other hot button issues, during this year’s ACC Legislative Conference, taking place Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Washington, DC. Learn more and register here.

Clinical Topics: Prevention, Stress

Keywords: ACC Advocacy, Prior Authorization, Patient Care, Burnout, Professional

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