Overview
- UnitedHealthcare, which announced the move Tuesday, will drop prior approval for select outpatient surgeries, diagnostic tests such as echocardiograms, outpatient therapies, and chiropractic care.
- The insurer says it will complete the changes by the end of 2026 and will publish the full list of affected services for clinicians.
- Prior authorizations currently apply to about 2% of UnitedHealthcare’s medical services, and roughly 92% of submitted requests are approved in less than 24 hours on average.
- The step aligns with an industry and federal shift to automate decisions and set faster timelines, with payers reporting an 11% cut to prior auths since 2025 and new CMS rules moving plans to APIs and seven‑day and 72‑hour decision standards.
- Doctors and patients say prior authorization delays care and adds paperwork, with an AMA survey finding offices spend about 12 hours each week seeking approvals.