The bipartisan Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act to reform prior authorization under Medicare Advantage was reintroduced with improved prospects for passage. The ASTRO-backed bill to adopt common sense prior authorization practices like electronic transmission and tighter timelines for making coverage decisions has been updated to overcome a procedural hurdle related to the cost of the bill that stalled progress in the Senate last Congress.

Led by Senators Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS), Krysten Sinema (I-AZ), John Thune (R-SD), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Ami Bera, MD (D-CA), and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN) and supported by 378 members of Congress in the last Congress, the new bill benefits from prior authorization rules finalized by the Biden Administration. The prior version of the bill would have cost $16 billion over 10 years, but the new bill will cost close to nothing.

ASTRO has joined hundreds of bill supporters in urging Congress to pass the legislation this year.