The Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG), a coalition of 46 mental health advocacy organizations, recently expressed their support for the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3173/S. 3018), a bipartisan bill that aims to streamline prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans.
In a letter to bill sponsors Representatives DelBene, Kelly, Bera, and Bucshon and Senators Marshall, Sinema, Thune, and Brown, the MHLG endorsed the legislation, noting that prior authorization delays can have devastating effects on patients in need of mental health and substance use treatment. The letter states that removing those delays “should enable providers to spend more time treating patients and less time on bureaucratic hurdles.”
Powers attorneys Peggy Tighe and Diane Millman have been integral in introducing and advocating for the bill through the Regulatory Relief Coalition, a group of national physician specialty organizations who advocate for common sense reform of prior authorization. The bill currently has more than 275 cosponsors in the House, 25 cosponsors in the Senate, and more than 460 endorsing organizations.
Representative DelBene’s office shared the news of MHLG’s endorsement in a press release. The news was also highlighted in Politico Pulse.
To learn more about the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, contact Peggy Tighe at Peggy.Tighe@PowersLaw.com.