From Fortune:

Ron Winters, a Marine Corps veteran, faces delays in his cancer treatment through the Department of Veterans Affairs. After a bladder cancer diagnosis, Winters encountered obstacles in accessing care from the Veterans Health Administration’s Community Care Program. His case underscores the national debate around prior authorization and its impact on cancer patients. The reforms, if implemented, would shore up the prior authorization system for Medicare, Medicaid, and federal marketplace plans. Cancer patients and advocates persist in navigating a system marked by roadblocks, red tape, and appeals, referring to the process as “cruel and unusual.”

Ron Winters filed claims saying the VA deliberately delayed care, triggering off his battle with bladder cancer. He had to wait four weeks for the VA to greenlight his procedure, compounding his cancer spread. The VA acknowledged the delay in care and has now hurriedly working with Winters to authorize his care showing its slow processes. Yet, Winters’ case, echoes the 2014 national VA scandal, highlighting the ongoing struggle against bureaucratic delays in veterans’ healthcare. Despite the timely reform, cases where patients fight for prior authorization are far from over. The reform is a step forward, but continued dedication and advocacy are still needed for cancer patients nationwide.



Read more: Cancer patients face frightening delays in treatment approvals