The Mississippi Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would streamline the process for doctors in the state to receive prior authorization on procedures from insurance companies.
Sen. Walter Michel, R, serving Madison and Hinds counties, told the Clarion Ledger Monday that if passed by the House, the bill will establish an online portal for physicians to submit requests to insurance providers for procedures that require prior authorization within certain time frames.
He said the bill will also allow for doctors to receive those authorization’s faster.
“What we found was happening were these long delays in the processing of the prior authorization and to defense of the insurance companies, they said oftentimes the physician was not filling out the forms properly or was not filling them out complete,” Michel said. “Everything that the doctor is supposed to include to get the approval process will be on the portal. It’s to the advantage of the doctor and the patient to get that form filled out quickly and properly.”