UnitedHealthcare Drops Prior Authorization for Thousands of Medical Codes
UnitedHealthcare has announced that it will eliminate prior authorization requirements for approximately 1,700 medical codes starting in October. This move is part of the insurer's effort to reduce administrative burdens on providers and improve timely access to care for patients.
The codes that will no longer require prior authorization span a wide range of services across multiple specialties, including oncology, cardiology, orthopedic procedures, genetic testing, and more.
UnitedHealthcare stated that the decision was based on services with proven evidence of clinical efficacy and high approval rates. The insurer also announced that it will expand its national gold card program to include providers who consistently have their prior authorization requests approved.