Committee hears broad testimony on prior‑authorization reform; dental carve‑out debated

The House Industry, Business and Labor Committee reopened a hearing on Senate Bill 2280, which would set statutory timelines, transparency requirements and review standards for prior authorization in health and dental insurance plans. The committee heard hours of testimony from hospitals, clinics, patient advocates, cancer groups, dental groups and industry representatives and then held the bill over for further committee work and proposed amendments.

SB 2280 would require insurers to respond to urgent prior authorization requests within 72 hours after receiving all necessary information and to nonurgent requests within seven calendar days. The bill would make prior authorizations for maintenance medications valid for one year, require peer reviews to be performed by appropriately licensed clinicians for adverse determinations and appeals, restrict retrospective denials in certain circumstances, and require online disclosure of services that need prior authorization.

Providers and patient advocates said delays in prior authorization harm patients and complicate care. “92 percent of physicians report that prior…