New U.S. legislation aims to speed up Medicare coverage decisions
New U.S. legislation aims to speed up Medicare coverage decisions
Updated at: June 5, 2026 at 01:00 AM
In early 2026, U.S. health agencies and lawmakers launched a major effort to reduce delays in Medicare coverage.
Historically, patients often faced a long wait for new medical devices to be covered after FDA approval.
To bridge this gap, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the FDA introduced the RAPID pathway.
By aligning evidence requirements during clinical development, RAPID aims to shorten the coverage timeline for breakthrough devices to just 60 to 90 days.
Beyond administrative changes, Congress is tackling systemic bottlenecks through new legislation.
The Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 seeks to shorten prior authorization times to as little as 24 hours for expedited requests and limits the use of automated denial algorithms.
Meanwhile, the Timely Access to Coverage Decisions Act addresses regional variations by setting strict deadlines for Local Coverage Determinations.
While the industry largely welcomes these changes as a way to provide faster patient access to life-saving technology, some experts urge caution.
