A bipartisan group of lawmakers has launched a invoice that might tighten oversight of Medicare Benefit plans, whose low reimbursement charges have elevated margin strain for house well being care suppliers.

The invoice, referred to as the Medicare Benefit Enchancment Act of 2026, would expedite prior authorizations, enhance transparency, align protection standards with conventional Medicare and increase entry to post-acute care suppliers, amongst different advantages.

“Medicare is a promise to America’s seniors that they are going to have dependable entry to high-quality well being care of their later years. Nonetheless, that promise has been undermined by pointless boundaries to care — particularly the overuse of prior authorization and inappropriate protection denials in Medicare Benefit,” Rep. John Joyce, one of many lawmakers who launched the invoice, stated in a press release. “The Medicare Benefit Enchancment Act will restore accountability, take away pointless boundaries and guarantee seniors obtain well timed, high-quality care.”

The invoice, launched Wednesday, would require Medicare Benefit plans to not use stricter standards than conventional fee-for-service Medicare.

It comprises a number of provisions concerning prior consent. If handed, Medicare Benefit plans can be required to reply inside 72 hours to plain prior authorization requests and inside 24 hours to expedited requests. The invoice permits restricted extensions in particular circumstances. It additionally locations limits on using prior authorization, stopping plans from implementing prior authorization when a service has already been authorised or when a doctor makes clinically essential modifications.

It additionally requires plans to implement real-time approval techniques, publicly report numerous information factors, and prohibits plans from denying fee after a service has been licensed.

The invoice additionally creates a brand new compliance scoring system and would implement fee reductions for underperforming plans.

The lawmakers introducing the invoice are U.S. Reps. John Joyce (R-Pa.), Greg Murphy (RN.C.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Ami Bera (D-Calif.), Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa).