NAIC considers draft prior authorization white paper
The AMA submitted comments (PDF) to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Regulatory Framework Task Force last week on its Draft Prior Authorization Framework White Paper (draft white paper). The draft white paper comes after the AMA, other medical associations, and a large and influential coalition of patient and consumer organizations have spent years urging the NAIC to take a more active role in prior authorization reform.
The AMA comments included some detailed suggested changes on the draft white paper itself, but also suggested the white paper do a better job of outlining the actions state regulators should be taking to enforce existing prior authorization laws in the states. Additionally, the AMA highlighted the important role that the NAIC can play in prior authorization reform from serving as an aggregator of best practices for state enforcement to the development of a model law and regulation. The AMA is hopeful that the release of a final white paper will be the beginning of the NAIC’s formal work in this space.
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact: Improving access to care in rural and underserved areas
Arkansas and North Carolina are the latest states to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC), bringing the current number of IMLC members to 42 states plus the District of Columbia and Guam. As the number of IMLC members grows, so does its use by physicians, with the latest data from the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC) reporting that more than 150,000 new physician licenses have been issued through the IMLC since 2007, with physicians receiving an average of four licenses through the Compact. In addition to expediting the process for obtaining licensure in multiple states thereby helping expand the reach of telehealth, IMLCC data has also demonstrated a positive impact on access to care for individuals in rural and underserved areas. Per the IMLCC, 20% of IMLC physicians report that they intend to serve in rural and underserved areas.
For additional information, please see AMA’s one-pager on the IMLC (PDF).
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