Statement attributable to:
Ryan D. Mire, MD, MACP
President, ACP
WASHINGTON April 6, 2023 – The American College of Physicians (ACP) is glad to see that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA) program, including streamlining the prior authorization process for insurance plans under the program. In a letter that ACP sent to the agency when they proposed these changes, we called attention to the wasted time and resources that result from an unnecessarily burdensome prior authorization process. My patients, especially older patients who need treatment for a health condition, suffer from delays in care caused by the need for prior authorization for a treatment or procedure.
ACP also appreciates other changes that CMS is implementing to improve health equity and digital and health literacy for patients enrolled in MA plans. ACP strongly supports efforts to ensure equitable access to high-quality health care for all. Taking a systemic approach to improving care for under-resourced communities and marginalized populations could help deliver better outcomes and added benefits at a lower cost. We are especially glad to see that CMS agreed with us that these changes should be put in place quickly, and that they are moving forward with implementing these improvements for 2024. As the number of patients enrolled in MA plans increases, we need to ensure that the program is structured to meet the needs of those patients and the physicians who treat them. Our nation’s seniors and those most vulnerable deserve health plans that support them in accessing health care that they need.
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 160,000 internal medicine physicians, related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness.
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