Medical Economics May 25, 2022
Survey shows little progress after four years of promises
The American Medical Association says that despite insurance industry promises to reform and improve prior authorizations, little effort has been made to do so.
This comes despite evidence that insurer-imposed authorizations can be hazardous and burdensome to patient-centered care.
In January 2018, the AMA and other national organizations representing pharmacists, medical groups, hospitals and health insurers signed a consensus statement outlining a shared commitment to five key reforms for the prior authorization process. Taken together, the five reforms promote safe, timely, and affordable access to evidence-based care for patients; enhanced efficiency; and reduced administrative burdens.
But findings from the AMA physician survey conducted in December 2021 show that little progress has...