August 22, 2024
| The Honorable Roger Marshall, M.D. | The Honorable Ben Lujan |
| U.S. Senate | U.S. Senate |
| 479 Senate Office Building | 498 Russell Senate Office Building |
| Washington, D.C. 20515 | Washington, D.C. 20515 |
| The Honorable Roger Wicker | The Honorable Joe Manchin |
| U.S. Senate | U.S. Senate |
| 425 Russell Senate Office Building | 306 Hart Senate Office Building |
| Washington, D.C. 20515 | Washington, D.C. 20515 |
Subject: Support for the Electronic Prior Authorization for Prescription Drugs Act
Dear Senators Marshall, Lujan, Wicker, and Manchin:
On behalf of the Regulatory Relief Coalition (RRC), a coalition of national physician specialty organizations seeking to reduce regulatory burdens that interfere with patient care, we are pleased to support the Electronic Prior Authorization for Prescription Drugs Act (S. 4349). The RRC applauds your leadership on this legislation as it would protect beneficiaries in the private market from delays and denials for prescription drugs due to prior authorization.
The current process for obtaining prior authorization for prescription drugs is often cumbersome, time-consuming, and prone to delays, which can adversely affect patient care. According to a 2023 survey of medical group practices, 97% of physicians reported that prior authorization requirements result in delays or denials for medically necessary care, with 92% of medical practices needing to hire or redistribute staff to work on prior authorization due to the increase in requests. Prior authorization delays can disrupt critical medication management, particularly for patients with chronic or life-threatening conditions. A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that nearly one in four patients who faced prior authorization requirements for prescription drugs experienced delays in receiving their medication, which could exacerbate health issues or lead to complications.
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