Washington, DC—Today, Representative Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) joined Representative Rick W. Allen (R-GA-12), Chairman of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee; Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01), Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA-25), and Bob Onder (R-MO-03) in reintroducing the Safe Step Act, a bipartisan bill to ensure patients can safely and efficiently access the best treatment available by improving step therapy protocols. 

"Step therapy can cause unnecessary harm and slow patient recovery while frustrating doctors who are doing their best to care for their patients. By reintroducing the Safe Step Act, we are reaffirming the value of the doctor-patient relationship and moving our country closer to the best form of patient-centered care," said Rep. McBath. "We must always fight to put people first, and this legislation helps ensure doctors and patients can make the best possible health care decisions. I’m grateful for my colleagues’ collaboration on this bill this Congress."

"Health care decisions should be made between the patient and physician. Too often, one-size-fits-all federal mandates can hinder a provider’s ability to prescribe the treatment or medication that best suits a patient’s unique medical condition, said Rep. Allen. "The bipartisan, bicameral Safe Step Act would implement commonsense guardrails to ensure patients can safely access the treatment they need by improving step therapy protocols. I have often said that we need to restore patient-centered, cost-effective, and market-driven solutions to our health care system. This legislation does just that, and I am proud to be leading this effort in the 119th Congress." 

"As a physician, I’ve seen firsthand how delays in care caused by step therapy can hurt patients and frustrate providers," said Dr. Miller-Meeks. "The Safe Step Act is about restoring trust in the doctor-patient relationship and ensuring Iowans can get the treatment their doctors know they need without unnecessary barriers. I’m proud to join this bipartisan, bicameral effort to put patients first and deliver commonsense reforms that improve care."

"As a physician, I believe treatment decisions should reflect individual health needs and not rigid insurance protocols," said Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25). "The Safe Step Act requires insurance providers to implement clear, timely exception processes for step therapy protocols in cases where a prescribed medication fails, would cause harm, or delay poses real risk. This bill protects patients from unnecessary suffering and ensures they can access effective care when they need it most. By cutting through red tape, we are putting patients and their doctors back in charge of health care decisions."

"As a physician, I am acutely aware that the delay in receiving effective treatment can result in severe or even irreversible consequences. The Safe Step Act addresses this issue by establishing a clear, prompt, and transparent process," said Rep. Onder. "This ensures that patients and their doctors, rather than insurance protocols, have the authority to make informed decisions about the best course of care."

Background

Step therapy is a prior-authorization policy that requires patients to try and fail on one or more insurer-preferred treatments before coverage is granted for the medication originally prescribed by their clinician. While intended to reduce unnecessary utilization, these protocols too often force a trial-and-error approach that can jeopardize patient health, increase administrative burdens, and undermine continuity of care. The Safe Step Act requires group health plans to offer a clear, timely exceptions process when step therapy is not in a patient’s best interest. Exceptions must be granted when:

• The insurer-required treatment has been ineffective.
• It is expected to be ineffective and delaying care risks irreversible harm.
• It will cause or is likely to cause an adverse reaction.
• It is expected to prevent the patient from performing daily activities or work.
• Other circumstances determined by the Employee Benefits Security Administration apply.