Learn more about the ongoing effects of prior authorization on patients and physicians over the years. Explore relevant resources and news.
Resource | AMA
To assess the ongoing impact the prior authorization process has on patients, physicians, employers and overall health care spending, the AMA annually conducts a nationwide survey of 1,000 practicing physicians from a wide range of practice settings.
Resource | AMA
Explore the answers to frequently asked questions that you and your loved ones may have about the prior authorization process.
News | AMA
Melissa Garretson, MD, discusses how to talk to patients about prior authorization, why prior authorization takes so long, and how the AMA is fighting to fix prior authorization policy. AMA Chief Experience Officer Todd Unger hosts.
News | Medscape
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A 21-year-old with a rare cancer had to wait for prior authorization approval for proton therapy, and as a result, she faced several complications, needing a tracheostomy and feeding tube.
News | Kaiser Family Foundation
While prior authorization has long been used as a tool to contain spending and prevent people from receiving unnecessary or low-value services, there are some concerns that current prior authorization requirements and processes may create barriers and delays to receiving necessary care, as well as exacerbate complexity for patients and their providers.
News | The Washington Post
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As a health and science reporter, Carolyn Y. Johnson has studied the maze of U.S. health care. But when her son got sick, she still got lost.
News | Roll Call
Providers say Medicare Advantage plans make it difficult for enrollees to receive much-needed, evidence-backed opioid treatment.
Resource | AMA
In this video, Dr. Brian J. Dixon highlights the time-consuming and wasteful nature of prior authorizations in psychiatry. He emphasizes that patient care should never be delayed due to insurance companies prioritizing their profits over patient needs.
News | AMA
During an early surgical rotation, Kansas City medical student Victoria Gordon felt a wave of heat flash over her entire body during a Caesarean section she was assisting.
News | Healthcare Dive
In addition to a backlog of more than 9,000 prior authorization requests, L.A. Care failed to properly address more than 67,000 grievances or appeals from its members.
News | Salon
Physicians say the process to get approval from insurance companies before treating patients has gotten out of hand.
News | Fierce Healthcare
Doing your research is a good consumer practice for most purchases, but it’s especially important when choosing health insurance.
News | The Journalist's Resource
Health insurance companies argue that prior authorization can reduce unnecessary procedures and health care costs. But doctors have concerns about the frequency of these requests, even for routine procedures, and the administrative burdens associated with them.
News | Kaiser Health News
Bram Sable-Smith got a hurried voicemail from his pharmacist in Wisconsin the day before Thanksgiving letting him know that his insurance was refusing to cover his insulin.
News | Medscape
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Ramy Sedhom, MD, a medical oncologist and a palliative care physician at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in Plainsboro, New Jersey, will always wonder if prior authorization refusals led to his patient's death.
News | Un-covered
It was another big quarter for UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest health insurer. On October 14, the company announced an eye-popping, Wall Street-pleasing $5.7 billion in profits between June 1 and September 30. The earnings were so unexpectedly positive that investors rushed to buy more shares, pushing the share price to an all-time high.