As legislative counsel to the Regulatory Relief Coalition (RRC), Powers Principal Peggy Tighe has been leading efforts to propel introduction of federal legislation to protect Medicare Advantage patients from unnecessary delays in care by streamlining and standardizing prior authorization in the program. Tighe was cited in the press release from the House champions announcing the bill’s introduction.
Diane Millman, Powers principal and regulatory counsel for RRC, was integral in advising Congressional staff on the focus and legal underpinnings for the legislation, entitled, “Improving Seniors’ Access to Timely Care Act.” Tighe work closely with the bill’s primary sponsors, preparing press releases and collateral material on the bill. She also worked with RRC members to gather original co-sponsors and led a webinar to enlist endorsing organizations.
The legislation, first introduced in June of 2019, garnered 280 co-sponsors and over 400 endorsing organizations, making it one of the most evenly bipartisan and widely supported health care bills in the 116th Congress (2018-2020). The newly introduced legislation – H.R. 3173 –garnered over 90 co-sponsors at introduction.
The bill was reintroduced by Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Ami Bera (CA-07), and Larry Bucshon (IN-08). In a press release by Congresswoman DelBene’s office, Peggy was quoted on behalf of RRC, saying, “As a group of national physician specialty organizations, the Regulatory Relief Coalition (RRC) is proud to advocate for regulatory burden reduction so physicians can spend more time taking care of patients. For many years, physicians and patients have been asking Congress to address the overuse and misuse of prior authorization in Medicare Advantage. RRC is proud to work closely with Reps. DelBene, Kelly, Bera, and Bucshon through bipartisan, bicameral efforts involving all stakeholders. Today, we celebrate these champions for their efforts to introduce the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act. This common-sense legislation would bring much-needed oversight and transparency to the use of prior authorization for the betterment of the patients we serve.”
To learn more about the Improving Seniors’ Access to Timely Care Act, visit the RRC website or read the bill here.
Peggy works closely with both the Healthcare and Government Relations & Public Policy teams at Powers. She teams with health systems, patient groups, and provider organizations to develop persuasive policy arguments and strategies to influence Congress and relevant agencies, creating change to protect and support providers and the patients they serve.
She focuses her practice on lobbying, coalition building, crafting and implementing grassroots campaigns, and coordinating media relations. She has experience strategizing and implementing federal grassroots activities, including grasstops (high-level grassroots), coalition building, letter writing, and database building.
Peggy can be reached at Peggy.Tighe@PowersLaw.com.
