Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model".

119th Congress Introduced by Kathy Castor and 6 co-sponsors

HJRes.187 would nullify CMS’s WISeR prior authorization rule for Medicare services, stripping it of effect and halting the proposed WISeR prior authorization approach.

Introduced in House

Overview

Bill: H.J.Res.187 (119th Congress, 2nd Session)

Type: Joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (as codified in chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code)

Purpose: Nullify (disapprove) a specific CMS rule related to Medicare prior authorization for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model

Introduced: May 19, 2026

Sponsors: Rep. Landsman (lead) with several co-sponsors (including Eleanor Holmes Norton, Pramila Jayapal, Suzan DelBene, Steve Cohen)

Main Purpose and Intent

The resolution states that Congress disapproves the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule titled “Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model.”

If enacted, the rule would have no force or effect.

The disapproval is based on the assertion that the rule is a valid rule under chapter 8 of title 5 U.S.C. (as evidenced by a Government Accountability Office (GAO) opinion included in the Congressional Record).

Key Provisions and Changes

The bill explicitly disapproves the CMS WISeR prior authorization rule published on July 1, 2025.

It references a GAO opinion dated May 12, 2026 (as printed in the Congressional Record on May 14, 2026, pages S2299–S2302) concluding that the notice constitutes a rule under 5 U.S.C. chapter 8.

The core effect: once enacted, the rule would have no force or effect, removing the WISeR prior authorization framework from Medicare’s program operations.

Who or What Is Affected

Affects the Medicare program administered by CMS.

Specifically targets the WISeR Model’s prior authorization provisions for certain services, thereby altering how prior authorization rules would apply to Medicare beneficiaries and providers under the WISeR framework.

Stakeholders likely impacted include Medicare beneficiaries, physicians, hospitals, and other providers who would have been subject to WISeR prior authorization requirements, as well as CMS and payers administering Medicare services.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

The measure is a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) procedures, which allows Congress to review and overturn agency rules.

Processed through:

Introduction in the House (May 19, 2026)
Referral to the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Energy and Commerce (jurisdictional review)

If enacted by both chambers and signed by the President (or otherwise enacted under CRA provisions), the CMS WISeR rule would be nullified and would have no force or effect from that point forward.

Additional Context

The WISeR model refers to a CMS initiative aimed at reducing wasteful and inappropriate healthcare services by implementing prior authorization for a subset of Medicare services.

The bill relies on a GAO opinion prioritizing that the CMS WISeR rule constitutes a statutory “rule” under the CRA’s framework, thereby allowing congressional disapproval.

Summary

HJRes.187 seeks to nullify CMS’s WISeR-based prior authorization rule for Medicare services. If enacted, the rule would be stripped of any legal effect, effectively halting the WISeR prior authorization approach as it was proposed. The resolution uses CRA disapproval as the mechanism and cites GAO’s opinion supporting the rule’s classification as a formal rule.