UnitedHealthcare Ditches Prior Approval for Over 1,700 Treatments

UnitedHealthcare, the nation's largest health insurance company, has announced that it will no longer require prior approval for over 1,700 treatments and procedures. This move is part of its commitment to reduce prior authorization volume by 30% by the end of 2026.

The list of codes, which includes diagnostic tests, medications, and other healthcare services, was made public on September 1, 2026. The codes are tied to a broad mix of services across multiple clinical specialties, including cardiology, genetic and laboratory testing, and physical therapy.

UnitedHealthcare provides health insurance coverage for over 48 million Americans, and the reduction in prior authorization requirements will span its health plans, including commercial products and government-subsidized coverage. The company stated that this move is designed to reduce unnecessary paperwork and make healthcare more accessible for patients and care providers.

The announcement comes at a time when industry business practices are under fire from patients, physicians, lawmakers, and regulators to reduce or eliminate prior authorization altogether. In fact, a recent analysis revealed that insurers denied between 12% and 18% of prior authorization requests last year for Americans enrolled in certain health plans.