The Stop Deadly Denials Act eliminates prior authorization for all Medicare Advantage Part A and Part B services unless required in traditional Medicare.
Eliminate prior authorization for Medicare Advantage Part A and Part B services unless prior authorization is already required in traditional Medicare.
Occurrences
Mr. Khanna (for himself, Ms. Jayapal, ... ) introduced the following bill ... Full Title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to limit the implementation of payment models testing prior authorization under traditional Medicare, and for other purposes.
Evidence
Rep. Jayapal announced the Stop Deadly Denials Act with Ro Khanna, saying it would no longer allow Medicare Advantage plans to require prior authorization for necessary medical items and services. The post says the bill 'eliminates prior authorization for all Medicare Advantage Part A and Part B services unless required in traditional Medicare.'
GovInfo shows H.R. 8377 was introduced in the House on April 20, 2026 and referred to the Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce. The title states it would 'prohibit the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans' and limit related models in traditional Medicare.
GovInfo lists H.R. 8377 as the Stop Deadly Denials Act of 2026 with last action date listed as April 20, 2026: Mr. Khanna (for himself, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Cohen, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Norton, and Mr. Pocan) introduced the bill; it was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The record shows bill version IH and does not list any later House or Senate action.
CMS's Electronic Prior Authorization page was last modified May 14, 2026. It describes current policy as requiring Prior Authorization APIs, faster decision workflows, public reporting, and providers requesting prior authorizations electronically beginning January 1, 2027. CMS also describes industry pledges to reduce the volume of services subject to prior authorization, not eliminate Medicare Advantage Part A and B prior authorization.
The preliminary U.S. Code page for 42 U.S.C. 1395w-22 says the text contains laws in effect on May 27, 2026. The Medicare Advantage beneficiary-protection section still includes disclosure of 'Prior authorization rules' and does not show the new broad subsection that H.R. 8377 proposed to add barring most MA Part A/B prior authorization.
GovInfo's official introduced bill text for H.R. 8377 states that Ro Khanna introduced the bill with Pramila Jayapal among the listed cosponsors, and it was referred to Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce. The bill would add a Medicare Advantage limitation providing that, for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, an MA plan may not impose prior authorization for covered items or services except where traditional Medicare already requires it.
GovInfo lists H.R. 8377 as the introduced-in-House version, with last action date April 20, 2026. The listed action is introduction and referral to the House Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce; the record lists Jayapal as a cosponsor and does not list passage, Senate action, presentment, or enactment.
CMS lists the WISeR model as active, running January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2031 in six states including Washington. CMS says providers and suppliers in selected Original Medicare regions may submit a prior authorization request or go through post-service/pre-payment review for selected services; the page says the model does not apply to Medicare Advantage.
The current U.S. Code page says the text contains laws in effect on June 11, 2026. It still shows the existing Medicare Advantage beneficiary-protection section and only a narrow prior-authorization exception for certain COVID-19 testing, not a broad ban on Medicare Advantage prior authorization.
CMS's Electronic Prior Authorization page, last modified May 14, 2026, says certain CMS-regulated health plans must implement prior-authorization APIs starting January 1, 2027. The page describes streamlining, transparency, and reducing the volume of services subject to prior authorization, not eliminating Medicare Advantage prior authorization for all Part A and Part B services.
CMS's WISeR page, last modified April 30, 2026, says the model runs from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2031 and that it incorporates prior authorization for selected Original Medicare services. CMS also says the model does not apply to Medicare Advantage.
The official bill text says H.R. 8377 would prohibit prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2027. The record also shows it was introduced on April 20, 2026 and referred to House committees only.
The introduced bill text for H.R. 8377 would prohibit most Medicare Advantage prior authorization beginning on or after January 1, 2027 unless the same item or service is already subject to prior authorization in traditional Medicare; the House record shows introduction on April 20, 2026 and referral only to Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce.
CMS's prior authorization overview, last modified May 14, 2026, says certain CMS-regulated plans must implement Prior Authorization APIs starting January 1, 2027 and emphasizes streamlining, transparency, and reduced burden; it does not announce elimination of Medicare Advantage prior authorization for Part A and Part B services.
The introduced House bill text matches the promise closely: it would bar most Medicare Advantage prior authorization beginning in 2027 unless the same service already requires prior authorization in traditional Medicare. The House record shows introduction on April 20, 2026 and referral to Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce, with no later enactment in the record.
CMS says certain health plans regulated by CMS must implement and maintain prior-authorization APIs starting January 1, 2027, and frames the policy as streamlining prior authorization, reducing burden, and improving transparency rather than eliminating Medicare Advantage prior authorization.
CMS says WISeR runs from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2031, uses prior authorization for selected Original Medicare services, and explicitly says it does not apply to Medicare Advantage.
The current preliminary U.S. Code text in the lookback window still contains the Medicare Advantage beneficiary-protection section and only a narrow prior-authorization exception, not the broad statutory ban that the promise called for.
Assessments
Jayapal materially advanced the promise by helping introduce and promote the Stop Deadly Denials Act in April 2026, and the bill text closely matched the commitment by barring most Medicare Advantage prior authorization unless traditional Medicare already required it. But the official record shows only introduction and committee referral, with no House passage, Senate passage, enactment, or implemented policy change. Current statutory and CMS materials in the record also do not show the promised elimination taking effect. Under the federal office standard, this counts as a serious legislative effort that failed to deliver the promised outcome.
Jayapal materially advanced the promise by helping introduce H.R. 8377, whose text closely matched the claim, but the bill only reached introduction and committee referral. The official record and current statutory/CMS materials show no enactment or implemented policy change eliminating Medicare Advantage prior authorization, so the promised outcome was not delivered.
Jayapal backed legislation that closely matched the promise: the Stop Deadly Denials Act would have barred most Medicare Advantage prior authorization for Part A and Part B services unless traditional Medicare already required it. But the official record shows only introduction and committee referral in April 2026, with no House passage, Senate passage, enactment, or implemented policy change. Current statutory and CMS materials in the record still show Medicare Advantage prior authorization was not eliminated. Because she made a serious legislative effort in the same term but did not deliver the promised outcome, this scores as never with effort credit.
Jayapal materially advanced a bill matching the promise: H.R. 8377/Stop Deadly Denials Act would eliminate Medicare Advantage prior authorization for Part A and Part B services unless traditional Medicare already requires it. However, the record shows only introduction and referral to House committees, with no House passage, Senate passage, presentment, enactment, or implemented statutory/CMS policy change. Current Medicare policy still reflects prior authorization rules and streamlining rather than the promised elimination. This is a serious same-term legislative effort, but the promised outcome has not been delivered.
Jayapal materially advanced the promised policy by joining introduction of H.R. 8377, the Stop Deadly Denials Act of 2026, which matches the claim by eliminating prior authorization for Medicare Advantage Part A and B services unless required in traditional Medicare. However, the evidence shows only introduction and committee referral, with no enactment or implemented federal policy change. Because the promised outcome was not delivered but there was a serious legislative attempt during her current House term, this is not fulfilled and receives an effort badge.
The promise has not been fulfilled as of May 18, 2026. Jayapal materially advanced the policy by introducing the Stop Deadly Denials Act of 2026, which matches the promised Medicare Advantage prior authorization restriction, but available official records show only introduction and committee referral, not enactment or implementation. Because this is a serious legislative attempt that has not delivered the promised outcome, it is best scored as never with an effort badge rather than unresolved or delivered.