UnitedHealthcare to eliminate prior authorization for 30 percent of services
The insurer said 92% of current requests are approved within 24 hours as it moves to cut administrative delays and speed care.
- On Tuesday, UnitedHealthcare CEO Tim Noel announced the insurer is eliminating prior authorization requirements for 30% of medical services, aiming to speed patient care and reduce administrative burden.
- Mounting industry pressure prompted the decision, as major insurers including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, and Kaiser Permanente pledged to reform prior authorization processes last year.
- Physicians and staff spend an average of 13 hours weekly seeking approval, according to the American Medical Association, while more than 9 in 10 doctors report care delays.
- UnitedHealthcare will implement these changes by the end of 2026 and post a full list of affected services—including select outpatient surgeries and diagnostic tests—at UHCProvider.
- Beyond this move, insurers are participating in an industry-wide effort to standardize submission processes, with UnitedHealthcare expecting over 70% coverage by year-end and Aetna having already standardized 88%.
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Good News From the Insurance World for a Change: Patients Win as UnitedHealthcare Backs Off Some Prior-Authorization Rules
In a move that may leave exhausted doctors and frustrated patients cautiously optimistic, UnitedHealthcare announced Tuesday, May 5, that it plans to eliminate prior- authorization requirements for 30% of applicable medical services by the end of 2026. Translation: fewer hoops, fewer delays, and maybe – just maybe – fewer patients waiting while insurance companies decide...
UnitedHealthcare to Cut Prior Authorizations
UnitedHealthcare said Wednesday it will eliminate prior authorization requirements for 30% of services in a move aimed at reducing delays for patients and paperwork for physicians. The post UnitedHealthcare to Cut Prior Authorizations appeared first on Conservative Angle | Conservative Angle - Conservative News Clearing House
UnitedHealthcare eliminating prior authorization for 30% of services
UnitedHealthcare announced on Tuesday that it is making sweeping changes to prior authorization requirements. The company said it is eliminating prior authorization requirements for 30% of medical services and pledged to implement the changes by the end of 2026. The development comes after the Trump administration pressured the health industry to reform prior authorization and is particularly notable because UnitedHealthcare is the United State…
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