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Prior Authorization Relief Act

To amend part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for prior authorization reforms under the Medicare Advantage program.

Introduced Feb 3, 2026

Latest action (Feb 3, 2026) Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Referred to
Finance Committee
Policy area
Health
Issues
Healthcare

Summary
  • Requires the federal government to audit Medicare Advantage plans by January 1, 2027 to identify high-cost medical items, services, and drugs where prior authorization processes are complicated and clinical evidence supports standardization.
  • Requires Medicare Advantage plans to use standardized prior authorization requirements starting May 1, 2028 for the identified high-cost items, services, and drugs, instead of each plan setting its own requirements.
  • Exempts healthcare providers and prescribers from these standardized requirements if they participate in shared-risk payment models where they share both potential financial losses and gains.
  • Allows Medicare Advantage plans to request an exception to the exemption, meaning they can require prior authorization from providers in shared-risk models if they choose.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor

Actions (2)
  1. Feb 3, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. · senate
  2. Feb 3, 2026 Introduced in Senate

Full text

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 3, 2026

Mr. Whitehouse introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To amend part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for prior authorization reforms under the Medicare Advantage program.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Prior Authorization Relief Act”.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM PRIOR AUTHORIZATION REFORMS.

(a) Medicare Advantage.—Section 1859 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-28) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(j) Prior Authorization Requirements.—

“(1) Audit.—Not later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary shall conduct an audit of prior authorization requirements for items and services furnished, and covered part D drugs prescribed, to enrollees under this part in order to identify the items and services and covered part D drugs that the Secretary determines meet each of the following criteria:

“(A) Reimbursement for such item or service or covered part D drug under this part is in the top 10 percent of reimbursements for all items and services and covered part D drugs under this part.

“(B) There is sufficient clinical evidence to establish a standard medical policy for the prior authorization process for such item or service or covered part D drug.

“(C) Prior authorization for such item or service or covered part D drug requires an excessive number of steps to complete the required protocols.

“(2) Standardized requirements.—Not later than May 1, 2028, taking into account the results of the audit conducted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall promulgate a final rule to standardize the prior authorization requirements (including supplemental forms) for items and services and covered part D drugs identified under paragraph (1) across all Medicare Advantage plans, including MA-PD plans.

“(3) Exemption from requirements.—

“(A) In general.—Subject to subparagraph (B), the prior authorization requirements under paragraph (2) for the items and services and covered part D drugs identified under paragraph (1) shall not apply when such items and services are furnished by, or such covered part D drugs are prescribed by, a provider of services or supplier that is participating in a two- sided risk model tested or implemented under section 1115A or this title, including an accountable care organization under section 1899, where the model is at risk for both potential losses and gains.

“(B) Limitation.—The Secretary shall establish a process under which an MA organization offering a Medicare Advantage plan (including an MA-PD plan) may request that the exemption under subparagraph (A) not apply with respect to items and services and covered part D drugs furnished to enrollees under the plan and that the prior authorization requirements that would otherwise apply under the plan for such items and services and covered part D drugs continue to apply.”. <all>

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