UnitedHealthcare to cut prior authorization for 30% of treatments
Summary
UnitedHealthcare announced it will remove prior authorization rules for about 30% of medical services that used to need insurer approval. This change aims to reduce delays and help patients get care faster by cutting down the paperwork doctors must complete.Key Facts
- Prior authorization is when doctors need insurance approval before giving certain treatments.
- UnitedHealthcare currently requires prior authorization for 2% of medical services it covers.
- About 92% of prior authorization requests are approved within 24 hours by UnitedHealthcare.
- The company will stop requiring prior authorization for some outpatient surgeries, certain diagnostic tests like echocardiograms, outpatient therapies, and some chiropractic care.
- The changes are planned to be fully in place by the end of 2026.
- The American Medical Association found doctors spend about 12 hours each week getting these approvals.
- Other large health insurers, like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, and Kaiser Permanente, are also working to reduce prior authorization requirements.
- UnitedHealthcare will share the full list of treatments that won’t need prior authorization on its website before the new policy starts.
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