WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and long term care facilities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year, announced its support for the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act. This bipartisan legislation was
introduced this week by Representative Suzan DelBene (WA-01) along with Representatives Mike Kelly (PA-16), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08), and Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) in the House and Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (KS), Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), John Thune (SD), and Sherrod Brown (OH) in the Senate. The bill aims to help seniors access care by streamlining and modernizing the prior authorization process under Medicare Advantage.
The following statement is attributable to Nisha Hammel, Vice President of Population Health Management at AHCA/NCAL.
“This bill helps provide the clarity and transparency needed in Medicare Advantage to help beneficiaries feel more confident that they are receiving the level of high-quality and timely care they need and deserve. Using modern methods of electronic prior authorizations, while still having proper oversight and guidelines, can offer a better experience for both beneficiaries and care providers as the use of MA plans continues to become more prevalent in long term and post-acute care. We thank Representative DelBene for advancing this legislation with the support of Representatives Kelly, Bucshon, and Bera in the House and Senators Marshall, Sinema, Thune, and Brown for their leadership within the Senate on this important piece of legislation.”