June 2, 2021 The Honorable Suzan DelBene The Honorable Mike Kelly U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives 2330 Rayburn HOB 1707 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Ami Bera, MD The Honorable Larry Bucshon, MD U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives 172 Cannon HOB 2313 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representatives DelBene, Kelly, Bera, and Buchson, On behalf of the members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), I am writing to offer our strong endorsement of the H.R. 3173, the “Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act.” The AAO-HNS is the nation’s largest medical association of physician specialists dedicated to the care of patients with disorders of the ear, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. We have approximately 12,000 members worldwide, 10,000 of which are practicing physicians in the United States. As you are well aware, prior authorization is a burdensome process that requires physicians to obtain pre-approval for medical treatments or tests before rendering care to their patients. The process for obtaining this approval is lengthy and typically requires physicians or their staff to spend about 2 or more days each week negotiating with insurance companies. We are pleased that this bipartisan legislation would help protect patients from unnecessary delays in care by streamlining and standardizing prior authorization under the Medicare Advantage program, providing much-needed oversight and transparency of health insurance for America’s seniors. The AAO-HNS thanks you for your leadership on this critical issue impacting our members and the patients they serve. We look forward to working with you to ensure passage of this vital legislation. Sincerely, James C. Denneny III, MD EVP/CEO .