Having suffered from cardiovascular disease myself, I know the importance of the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, a bill recently introduced in Congress to address Prior Authorization. Prior Authorization, or PA, is a process in which insurers must approve a physician-prescribed drug or therapy before a patient can be covered, which delays essential treatment and burdens clinicians with paperwork.
Seniors are the most vulnerable to PAs interference in treatment. Today, 63.7% of all Utah seniors are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan and are at risk of the frustrations and dangers of PA. This act critically modernizes the PA process for Medicare Advantage plans, allowing doctors to make coverage decisions quickly via a streamlined and electronic model.
Living with genetically high cholesterol, I realize the vast risks that accompany inadequate cardiovascular treatment and threaten the lives of approximately 70,000 Utah seniors suffering from cardiovascular disease. This hazard is evident in a 2023 study by the American Medical Association in which 94% of physicians report care delays directly harming patients.
Because of Utah’s propensity towards Medicare Advantage plans as well as their previous commitments towards health equity, I hope U.S. Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee to cosponsor and support this act to support seniors in Utah.
Julie Stephens, South Jordan