Big Changes Coming to Health Insurance Approvals

Health insurance companies in the U. S. are making big changes to how they handle approvals for medical treatments. This process, called prior authorization, can be a hassle for both patients and doctors. Doctors often have to wait for approval from insurance companies before they can provide certain treatments. This can cause delays and even lead to denials of necessary care. It also adds extra work for doctors, which can be frustrating. A group of large insurers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, Cigna, and UnitedHealthCare, have agreed to make this process easier. They plan to simplify and speed up the approval process. This should help patients get the care they need faster and reduce the paperwork burden on doctors. By the start of 2027, these companies aim to have a common standard for electronic approval requests. They also plan to reduce the number of claims that require prior authorization by 2026. The goal is to create a smoother experience for patients and allow doctors to focus more on care and less on paperwork. However, prior authorization won't disappear entirely. The insurers involved will meet with U. S. health officials to discuss these changes. This move is a step towards modernizing the healthcare system. It's a response to the frustrations felt by both patients and providers due to outdated manual processes.