Sunflower State News

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), spoke at a press conference on Monday alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Oz to address the challenges posed by prior authorization requirements in Medicare. The event highlighted concerns from both healthcare providers and patients about delays and administrative burdens caused by these insurance processes.

During his remarks, Senator Marshall recounted his experience as an OB-GYN, sharing a story of a patient whose surgery was canceled due to last-minute changes in prior authorization requirements. He noted that such obstacles often delay critical care for patients needing procedures like hip replacements or heart catheterizations.

Senator Marshall emphasized the impact of these bureaucratic hurdles on both patients and medical professionals, stating that doctors and nurses frequently spend more time dealing with paperwork than preparing for surgeries. He expressed hope that collaboration among government officials, insurers, and healthcare providers would lead to practical solutions.

“Well, good afternoon, everybody. I want to say a special thanks to Secretary Kennedy and CMS Administrator Dr Oz, and especially President Trump, for inviting me to participate in today’s event to address the number one bureaucratic nightmare facing doctors and patients: prior authorization.

“Now, long before I ran for Congress, I was a practicing OB-GYN for some 25 years, and I vividly remember a patient I once had scheduled for an infertility surgery. She’d taken time off work and arranged help at home, only to be told the morning of a procedure that her insurance company had added another step to the prior authorization process, abruptly canceling her surgery.

“Now, whether you need a hip replacement or a heart catheterization, many patients feel their critical care has been delayed by an opaque and burdensome prior authorization process. It’s something I hear about all the time back home. Moreover, physicians and nurses complain that the process has become increasingly onerous because of constantly changing requirements, often demanding more time to navigate the red tape than to complete the pre-surgery medical workup.

“Today, by having all the players in the room, we hope to see a commonsense solution to streamline and improve our healthcare system. We must prioritize patients’ health over corporate profits and arbitrary cost-cutting measures. For nearly my entire time in Congress, I fought to reform the prior authorization process and Medicare Advantage. Today’s event moves us closer to that goal, ensuring patients receive timely lifesaving and health-restoring care.

“Again, I just look forward to working with Secretary Kennedy, Administrator Oz, and insurers together to overhaul this process. I’m going to continue to champion this fight in Congress and support their efforts. And again, I’m just proud to stand alongside President Trump’s A-team as we work to make healthcare more patient and provider-friendly for doctors, nurses, and patients alike.”

The press conference underscored ongoing efforts within Congress aimed at reforming Medicare's administrative processes so that patient care is not delayed due to insurance protocols.