A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently introduced companion versions of the Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 in both the House and Senate, aiming to strengthen oversight of Medicare Advantage.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on Monday by Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island). It was introduced last week in the House by Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), John Joyce (R-Pennsylvania), Greg Murphy (R-North Carolina), Jimmy Panetta (D-California), Ami Bera (D-California), Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) and Kim Schrier (D-Washington).
It comes as Medicare Advantage enrollment is on the rise, with more than half of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. However, the program is facing increasing scrutiny over care delays and administrative barriers. Specifically, the bill would:
- Require standard prior authorization approvals within 72 hours, expedited decisions within 24 hours and real-time approvals for routine low-risk services.
- Ban coverage from being retroactively denied once a service is authorized, unless there is fraud or error.
- Require MA plans to publicly report prior authorization data.
- Ban MA plans from applying stricter medical necessity standards than original Medicare.
- Strengthen network adequacy requirements for rehabilitation hospitals and long-term care hospitals.
“Americans are rightfully fed up with health care bureaucracy, and prior authorization is one of the worst offenders: delaying treatment, driving up costs, and putting paperwork ahead of patients. We need to cut this red tape so providers can deliver timely, high-quality care,” Sen. Whitehouse said in a statement.
Rep. Miller-Meeks echoed these comments.
“For too long, cases of abuse have crept into Medicare Advantage, pulling it away from its core mission of serving America’s seniors,” said Miller-Meeks in a statement. “As a physician, I’ve seen how these practices delay care, create unnecessary barriers, and increase the cost of healthcare. This bill restores accountability, cracks down on bad actors, and ensures Iowa seniors can access the care they need, without delay, without denial, and without interference from bureaucratic red tape.”
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living applauded the introduction of the bill.
“The Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 represents a significant step towards ensuring Medicare Advantage delivers on its promise to America’s seniors,” said Clif Porter, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, in a statement. “We commend these lawmakers for developing a better way to enable seniors to have timely access to care and hold plans accountable. We urge continued bipartisan support and swift passage through Congress.”
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