[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 97 (Tuesday, June 9, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2674-S2675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           MEDICAL INSURANCE

  Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I rise to call attention to a serious 
barrier in our healthcare system, one that

[[Page S2675]]

hinders too many Americans from accessing the medications and the 
treatments that they need. Across the country, patients and providers 
alike are increasingly frustrated by prior authorization requirements 
imposed by insurance companies. Too often, these requirements override 
the medical judgment of doctors who know their patients best.
  I have had oncologists, cardiologists, psychiatrists, and many other 
medical professionals visit my office to share their ongoing concerns 
and how prior authorizations are disrupting care. They are trained 
experts; yet their decisions are being second-guessed by insurers.
  The result is deeply concerning. Many patients are denied or delayed 
access to the medications and services that their physicians have 
prescribed because they know those treatments are effective based on 
their many years of medical education and clinical experience.
  And the delays are not minor. Patients are often forced to wait days, 
weeks, or even months for critical care which, in many cases, will 
still be denied in the end. There are simply too many unnecessary 
hurdles standing between a patient, the doctor, and the care that they 
need.
  I am a proud cosponsor of the Safe Step Act, which would allow 
patients to access appropriate treatments more quickly by bypassing 
dangerous or ineffective ``fail first'' prior authorization 
requirements.
  I have also cosponsored the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care 
Act, which would modernize and streamline prior authorization for 
Medicare Advantage patients. This timely access legislation would 
deliver realtime decisions for routinely approved treatments, increase 
transparency around CMS approvals and denials, and replace outdated 
paper-based systems with electronic prior authorization.
  These are practical bipartisan solutions. In fact, 68 Senators have 
already joined me in support of this effort.
  Despite this, the issue persists. We must act with urgency. Every day 
we delay is another day patients are left wanting for care, waiting for 
care that they need and deserve. I urge my colleagues and the 
administration to prioritize this issue and move swiftly to address it.
  Every day we delay is another day that insurance companies will 
continue making decisions on behalf of medical professionals, which 
they have no business doing whatsoever.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut.

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