,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bijh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #bb1      
#bjah,mr4 ,roberts 7for himself1 ,mr4   
,carper1 and ,mr4 ,grassley7 introduced 
the following bill2 which was read twice
 and referred to the ,committee on      
,finance  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend title    
,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act to
 provide for electronic prior           
authorization under ,medicare part ,d   
for covered part ,d drugs1 and for other
 purposes4  #a4 ,electronic prior       
authorization for covered part ,d drugs 
,section #ahfj;,d-#d7;e77#b7 of the     
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#aciew-#ajd7;e77#b77 is amended by      
adding at the end the following new     
subparagraph3  7,e7 ,electronic prior   
authorization  7i7 ,in general ,not     
later than ,january #a1 #bjba1 the      
program shall provide for the secure    
electronic transmittal of--  7,i7 a     
prior authorization request from the    
prescribing health care professional for

 coverage of a covered part ,d drug for 
a part ,d eligible individual enrolled  
in a part ,d plan 7as defined in section
 #ahfj;,d-#bc7;a77#e77 to the ,,pdp     
sponsor or ,medicare ,advantage         
organization offering such plan2 and    
7,,ii7 a response1 in accordance with   
this subparagraph1 from such ,,pdp      
sponsor or ,medicare ,advantage         
organization1 respectively1 to such     
professional4  7ii7 ,electronic         
transmission  7,i7 ,exclusions ,for     
purposes of this subparagraph1 a        
facsimile1 proprietary payer portal that
 meets such standards as specified by   
the ,secretary1 or electronic form shall
 not be treated as an electronic        
transmission described in clause 7i74   
7,,ii7 ,standards ,in order to be       
treated1 for purposes of this           
subparagraph1 as an electronic          
transmission described in clause 7i71   
such transmission shall comply with     
technical standards adopted by the      
,secretary in consultation with the     

,national ,council for ,prescription    
,drug ,programs1 other standard setting 
organizations determined appropriate by 
the ,secretary1 and stakeholders        
including ,,pdp sponsors1 ,medicare     
,advantage organizations1 health care   
professionals1 and health information   
technology software vendors4  4