The letter signed by numerous national and local associations requests a hearing on B24-655 before the Council's summer recess.
Today, MSDC and a coalition of 17 other organizations requested that the Committee on Health hold a hearing on B24-655 (Prior Authorization Reform Act) before the Council's summer recess.
The bill would align DC with other states in reforming the prior authorization process and adopt common-sense reforms modeled by the American Medical Association and other national healthcare organizations. The bill lays out a minimum amount of time a prescription approval is valid, sets qualifications for payer personnel to make prior auth determinations, prohibits a prior auth for cost purposes, and more. The bill is one of MSDC's highest priorities and we have created an action site on the issue.
The letter (seen below) is joined by national and local healthcare, patient advocacy, and health reform organizations. The content is simple in asking for a hearing as the organizations involved have numerous stories on the impact of prior authorization on their members and patients. MSDC has some examples on its prior auth site.
How can you get involved in this issue?
Let MSDC know you want to get involved via our form
Contact your Councilmembers and tell them to support the bill
Letter:
May 18, 2022
The Honorable Vincent C. Gray
Chair, Committee on Health
1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW Ste 406
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chair Gray,
We, the undersigned organizations and practices, request that you hold a hearing on B24-655, the Prior Authorization Reform Amendment Act of 2022, before the Council’s summer recess. This legislation is critical to protecting the health and wellbeing of District residents and joins the District with numerous other states in reforming the onerous prior authorization process.
Prior authorizations routinely negatively impact patient care. The recent American Medical Association physician survey on prior auth showed that 93% of physicians report care delays because of prior authorization. The same survey showed that provider offices spend 13 hours each week (almost two business days) dedicated to prior auth paperwork. These delays impact our residents and patients daily, leading many to wait unnecessarily for their treatments or choose to abandon them altogether.
Our organizations have stories from patients and providers that can help educate the committee on this issue, but without a hearing on the bill we cannot share this information before the committee. We urge you to schedule a hearing for this bill and give us the chance to share why this important reform is needed now.
Sincerely,
Medical Society of the District of Columbia
Aimed Alliance
Allergy & Asthma Network
The ALS Association
American College of Rheumatology
American Medical Association
Arthritis Foundation
The Association for Clinical Oncology
Chronic Disease Coalition
DC Society of Addiction Medicine
District of Columbia Primary Care Association
Hemophilia Association of the Capital Area
Hemophilia Federation of America
Lupus and Allied Diseases Association
Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Rheumatism Society of DC
Washington Psychiatric Society
CC: Members of the Committee on Health
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