SB 306 Aims to Eliminate Unnecessary Delays to Medical Treatment and Keep Decisions in the Hands of Doctors, Not Insurance Companies
Sacramento, CA — Today Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) announced the introduction of Senate Bill 306, the Honoring Physician Decisions Act, a new bill designed to streamline health care delivery by shortening burdensome prior authorization requirements for medical services that health plans routinely approve. The legislation will speed up access to care by reducing unnecessary delays and ensuring that patients can access timely and essential care determined by their health care provider.
“Unnecessary delays for medically necessary treatments remain one of the biggest barriers to access to health care,” said Senator Josh Becker. “With this bill, I am tackling one of the most frustrating and wasteful hurdles in our health care system — burdensome insurance company reviews over medical services that are nearly always approved. By removing these superfluous barriers, we can give doctors more time to treat patients instead of pushing paperwork and driving up costs.”
"Physicians and patients are all too familiar with the unnecessary delays and frustrations that come with the current prior authorization process,” said California Medical Association President Shannon Udovic-Constant, M.D. “Senator Becker’s SB 306 is a much-needed reform to reduce delays and improve patient care.”
The need for reform is clear. A 2023 survey conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA) revealed troubling statistics:
- 19% of doctors said that prior authorization delays led to serious adverse events requiring hospitalization.
- One in four physicians report that prior authorization has led to a serious adverse event for their patient.
- 7% of physicians reported instances where delays contributed to permanent disability or even death.
- Physicians handle an average of 43 prior authorizations per week, spending 12 hours weekly navigating bureaucratic hurdles instead of treating patients.
- 94% of physicians reported that the prior authorization process delays patients’ access to necessary care.
Senator Becker’s bill will require health plans to eliminate prior authorization requirements for any service that is approved more than 90% of the time. This reform will:
- Accelerate care delivery: Reducing delays by removing unnecessary reviews for routine services.
- Free up physician time: Allowing doctors to focus on patient care rather than excessive administrative tasks.
- Improve resource allocation: Allowing health plans to concentrate on reviewing more complex and critical cases.
“This legislation is a win for patients,” said Becker. “It strikes a reasonable balance on access to high-approval services while reducing administrative waste without compromising oversight.”
The United States is the only industrialized country where health decisions must first be approved by a patient’s health care plan before receiving treatment. This prior authorization can take weeks or even months, and often ends with erroneous denials. Health insurers deny 850 million claims yearly, yet less than 1% of patients appeal—despite studies showing up to 75% of appeals succeed. Eliminating redundant prior authorization requirements will reduce costs, improve patient outcomes, and enhance the overall healthcare experience. Physicians will have more time to focus on providing care for chronic conditions, coordinate treatment plans, and welcome new patients into their practices.
Senator Becker previously authored the groundbreaking Physicians Make Decisions Act, which gave doctors the final say in determining medically necessary treatments rather than an Artificial Intelligence algorithm. This law ensures that health care decisions remain in the hands of trusted medical professionals, not insurance companies, and has set a national standard for access to care that is being adopted in other states.
Senator Becker’s bill is a major step toward a healthcare system that prioritizes patient health and physician efficiency, creating a more responsive and compassionate care environment for all Californians. It is sponsored by the California Medical Association, which represents over 50,000 physicians.