Sen. Ossoff continues working to ban insurance companies from denying needed health care

Sen. Ossoff: “Instead of slush funds for criminals and corrupt ballrooms, let’s do something useful. Let’s ban insurance companies from denying or delaying medically necessary health care to Americans.”

Washington, D.C. — Senate Republicans blocked U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff’s amendment to prevent insurance companies from denying or delaying needed care.

During the Senate’s vote series today, Sen. Ossoff offered an amendment to prevent insurance companies from denying or delaying needed health care, but Senate Republicans blocked Sen. Ossoff’s amendment.

On the floor, Sen. Ossoff told the story of a Georgian who had to delay cancer treatments waiting for her insurance company to approve them first.

“Mr. President, instead of slush funds for criminals and corrupt ballrooms, let’s do something useful. Let’s ban insurance companies from denying or delaying medically necessary health care to Americans,” Sen. Ossoff said on the Senate floor.

“My constituent, Ellen, lives in Atlanta, and a few years ago she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer. But not only did Ellen have to battle cancer, she had to battle her insurance company too. And as Ellen told me, ‘For a corporation to have a finger on the button of your life is ridiculous. They have their minds on profit margins. I just want to be healthy and alive,’” Sen. Ossoff continued.

“Thankfully, Ellen’s cancer is now in remission, but across America, insurance companies continue to deny and delay medically necessary health care. A vote against this motion is a vote to allow insurance companies to continue denying needed health care to the American people. I urge my colleagues to vote yes,” Sen. Ossoff said.

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) spoke on the Senate Floor and urged Senators to vote against Sen. Ossoff’s amendment.

Sen. Ossoff’s amendment failed, 47-50.

Click here to watch Sen. Ossoff’s remarks and Sen. Grassley’s objection on the Senate floor for your use on air.

During the Senate’s last budget debate, Sen. Ossoff offered another amendment to prevent insurance companies from denying or delaying needed care, but Senate Republicans blocked Sen. Ossoff’s amendment.

A Johns Hopkins study found that the practice of prior authorization, where patients must seek approval from their insurance company before receiving care, was “associated with disease exacerbation, preventable hospitalization, prolonged hospital stay, and lower rates of disease-free survival.”

According to KFF, virtually all seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage must obtain prior authorization for some services, and in 2024 over four million of these requests were denied.

KFF also found that of the approximately 85 million Affordable Care Act (ACA) in-network denied claims in 2024, less than 1% were appealed, forcing patients either to pay for services out-of-pocket, despite having “coverage,” or forgoing care – solely because of decisions made by insurance companies.

# # #