ASE Joins Letter of Support for the Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act

On March 28, ASE with the Alliance of Specialty Medicine sent a letter to Representatives Mark Green, MD and Kim Schrier, MD expressing support for the Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act (H.R. 2433), which would require prior authorization decisions in Medicare and Medicare Advantage to be made by board-certified physicians in the same specialty as the treating physician, and direct plans to comply with medical necessity and written clinical criteria requirements. The letter emphasized that physicians spend the equivalent of two or more days each week negotiating with insurance companies on prior authorization—time that could be spent caring for patients.

This letter builds on one of ASE’s main policy priorities- supporting the echocardiography workforce. Prior authorization is notably one of the biggest sources of administrative burden, contributing to the widespread burnout of medical professionals. By endorsing this legislation, ASE urges Congress to consider improvements to the prior authorization process in order to reduce the time spent on approvals and allow physicians to use that valuable time for direct clinical care to improve patient outcomes.