WASHINGTON — The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), the leading nonprofit medical society representing invasive and interventional cardiology, today praised the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Oz and the newly announced coalition of 29 health care organizations committed to reforming the prior authorization process. The coalition marks an important step toward reducing administrative barriers that delay life-saving cardiovascular care, burden physicians, and strain medical practices across the United States. 

“Prior authorization is one of the most significant barriers SCAI member physicians face in delivering timely care to patients with cardiovascular disease, in addition to distance and cost” said J. Dawn Abbott, MD, MSCAI, President of SCAI. “Nearly 80% of physicians report patients abandon recommended treatment after encountering prior authorization obstacles, and for patients with cardiovascular disease, abandoning care can be a death sentence. We applaud CMS for its commitment to making prior authorization electronic, faster, and more transparent, to the benefit of patients and physicians.” 

The CMS coalition announcement builds on recent voluntary commitments from major Medicare Advantage insurers and administrative reform, reflecting growing recognition across the health care system that prior authorization is no longer improving efficiency, as it was created to do. SCAI has been at the forefront of this effort for years, advocating for a prior authorization process that is transparent, efficient, and patient-centered.  

“The CMS coalition demonstrates that meaningful reform is achievable when the entire health care system, insurers, payers, partners, and providers, unites around the goal of building a more efficient health care system,” Dr. Abbott added. “We now call on Congress to follow the coalition's lead by passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3514/S. 1816). SCAI has been a champion for a prior authorization system that puts patients first, and the coalition reflects a unified effort from the health care industry to make that a reality. We look forward to the opportunity to support efforts from CMS and its partners.” 

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About the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions is a professional organization representing more than 5,000 invasive and interventional cardiology professionals in approximately 75 nations. SCAI's mission is to promote excellence in invasive/interventional cardiovascular medicine through physician education and representation, and advancement of quality standards to enhance patient care. For more information, visit scai.org.