Some insurers agree to streamline prior authorizations

Prior authorizations, the practice of requiring physicians to check with insurers before proceeding with a procedure, has been a source of much frustration within the medical and patient communities. KFF Health News published an article on how some insurers have agreed to various measures to alleviate the frustration, including "making fewer medical procedures subject to prior authorization and speeding up the review process." The article seems pretty clear that insurers are responding to public sentiment and "are hoping to stave off 'more draconian' legislation or regulation in the future."

Interestingly, the federal government is recommending that prior authorization not be required for vaginal deliveries, suggesting that some insurers require approval before agreeing to pay for births. On a separate, but also interesting, note, some states have passed legislation to not require prior authorizations for physicians who have a high rate of approval -- an idea that makes intuitive sense in reducing administrative burden while giving physicians a reason to comply with guidelines.