WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today welcomed House Energy and Commerce Committee’s unanimous passage of his Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, Medicare Advantage Supplemental Benefits Transparency Act, and Tyler’s Law. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee also passed the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act and the National Plan for Epilepsy Act, bills cosponsored by Warner.
“I am glad my colleagues voted to move forward these life-saving pieces of legislation,” said Sen. Warner. “These bills will expand access to care, lower costs, and ensure the safety of Americans across the country. My Medicare Advantage bills will help streamline the prior authorization process and ensure transparency on supplemental benefits, so that seniors get the care they need when they need it. Tyler’s Law would institute more robust guidance on testing for fentanyl during a suspected overdose. The INSULIN Act would cap the cost of insulin, so Americans can pay less for the medication they need. The National Plan for Epilepsy Act will expand resources and improve epilepsy care across the country. I am proud to be a strong supporter of these bills and urge my colleagues to vote for these when they come before for the full House and Senate.”
The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act is bipartisan, zero-cost legislation to improve access to care for seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. The bill focuses on streamlining the often cumbersome and time-consuming prior authorization process, ultimately allowing healthcare providers to spend more time on patient care rather than administrative burdens.
The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act would:
- Establish an electronic prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans, including a standardization for transactions and clinical attachments;
- Increase transparency around Medicare Advantage prior authorization requirements and their 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; and
- Require HHS and other agencies to report to Congress on program integrity efforts and other ways to further improve the e-prior authorization process.
The Medicare Advantage Supplemental Benefits Transparency Act is bipartisan legislation to require Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to publicly report the supplemental benefits they offer and the extent to which beneficiaries use them.
Tyler’s Law would direct the Secretary of HHS to:
- Complete a study to determine how frequently emergency rooms are currently testing for fentanyl when patients come in for an overdose, as well as the associated costs and benefits/risks; and
- Issue guidance to hospitals on implementing fentanyl testing in emergency rooms.
The Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act would cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Americans on private and employer insurance and create a pilot program to provide insulin at the same cost to Americans without insurance.
The National Plan for Epilepsy Act is bipartisan legislation that would establish a national plan to coordinate research and essential services for those living with epilepsy.
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