Committee shortens proposed prior-authorization timelines; stakeholders ask for tech clarifications

The committee advanced a revised HB2250 that shortens insurer prior-authorization decision windows: 72 hours for urgent services and seven calendar days for nonurgent services (amendment dated 02/12/2026 11:48AM). Sponsors said the change aligns state timelines with anticipated CMS requirements and reduces treatment delays.

Multiple sclerosis advocates urged the panel to retain even shorter timeframes for urgent approvals, arguing that for MS patients brief interruptions in therapy can cause irreversible harm. Chaz Gilbert, an MS clinic operations manager and patient advocate, said the prior standard of five days for urgent decisions was an important compromise and that 14 days (old nonurgent standard) can cause detrimental delays.

The Arizona Medical Association indicated general support for tightened timelines but asked for a floor amendment to address electronic filing requirements in areas with unreliable broadband or insurer-system outages. Committee staff and DIFI (Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions) representatives agreed to work on language to clarify whether DIFI would post existing CMS reports or be required to create duplicate reports.

The committee adopted the Bliss strike-everything amendment and returned HB2250 as amended with a due-pass recommendation (roll-call: 12 ayes, 0 nays). Members signaled plans to negotiate technical clarifications before a floor vote, including electronic-filing exceptions and report compilation language.