AMIA Responds to CMS RFI on Advancing Medicare Innovation and Flexibility

AMIA submitted comments to the CMS RFI: Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation of the Medicare Program recommending the elimination or significant streamlining of prior authorization (PA) requirements as the primary Medicare deregulation priority. We stand that PA creates substantial administrative burden, with physicians spending 2+ days weekly on approvals, while 80% of denials are overturned on appeal and 34% of physicians report PA has caused serious adverse events including deaths. We also explain how PA diverts resources from patient care, contributes to provider burnout, and fails to achieve cost containment goals. Lastly, AMIA recommends establishing AI guardrails and reducing other documentation-heavy processes to support Executive Order 14192's deregulation objectives.