UnitedHealthcare to cut prior authorization for 30% of services. Here's what to know.

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: May 5, 2026 / 10:51 AM EDT


UnitedHealthcare said on Tuesday it is eliminating "prior authorization" requirements for 30% of medical services that previously required insurer approval, a policy shift that could eliminate red tape and speed access to patient care. The move comes amid pressure on the health insurance industry to limit prior authorizations, the process by which health care providers such as doctors or hospitals obtain approval from patients' insurance carriers to deliver care.

Prior authorizations have long drawn criticism for the time they require of physicians' offices and for hindering patients' access to care, with the American Medical Association finding that such offices spend an average of 12 hours per week seeking insurer approval for medical treatments.

Critics say those hours would be better spent providing medical care, while some patients report being denied treatment by their insurance companies.

UnitedHealthcare, the largest U.S. health insurer, said in a statement that prior authorization is required for 2% of the medical services covered under its policies. About 92% of those are approved within 24 hours, the company said.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/unitedhealthcare-cuts-30-percent-prior-authorization-requirements/

[dflprincess]

1. Still doesn't mean it will pay the claims. Nt

[choie]

2. What's the catch?

[GB_RN]

3. Probably...

That they deny payment after-the-fact, leaving you stuck with the full bill.

UHC is one of the WORST insurance companies that hospitals have to deal with. Due to UHC’s intransigence, and insistence on cutting reimbursements, their contract with my hospital lapsed as of 30, April. There’s a staggered loss of coverage, with the final group’s in network coverage ending in January, ‘27…assuming no new agreement is made. Medicare Advantage and UHC Medicaid patients are going to get hurt, bigly.

These assholes are cutthroat and have no problem leaving their customers hanging. These people (other UHC execs, rich assholes, Repukes, etc.,) wonder why there was no sympathy for the exec who was gunned down in NYC. An exec who, by they way, was in charge of an AI development that would be looking for excuses to deny claims.

Note: My hospital is the only major medical/academic medical center in Eastern. NC, and through subsidiary hospitals, provides healthcare to 29 counties and over 1 million people.