Major US health insurers, including UnitedHealthcare, CVS Health, and Cigna, have agreed to streamline prior authorization processes. This voluntary effort aims to reduce delays in care and administrative burdens for providers. Changes include establishing a common electronic standard by 2027 for 80% real-time approvals and reducing the number of claims requiring prior authorization by 2026. The initiative, impacting 257 million Americans, follows recent public criticism of the industry and builds upon existing simplification efforts.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.