UnitedHealthcare will eliminate prior authorization requirements -- including those for more than 60 radiology services.
"While prior authorization remains an important tool to address clinical quality and safety, as well as fraud, waste, and abuse, we also know that fewer prior authorizations can help streamline care delivery," the insurer said, in an August 1 statement.
In a two-phase approach beginning September 1, the insurer will eliminate codes for UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage, UnitedHealthcare commercial, UnitedHealthcare Oxford, and UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange plans. On November 1, codes will be eliminated for the UnitedHealthcare Community.
UnitedHealthcare has published a list of the codes that will be removed from prior authorization requirements on its website; the list includes procedures for bone marrow and brain imaging, as well as MR angiography. Including those for radiology procedures, the code removals will account for almost 20% of UnitedHealthcare's overall prior authorization volume, the company noted.
