Survey: Health insurers slow to adopt prior authorization reforms

Prior authorization still poses significant challenges to physicians and patients, according to a new survey by the American Medical Association. The survey looks at progress by health plans to implement reforms outlined in a 2018 consensus statement by six organizations, including the AHA and AMA, on improving the prior authorization process. Almost nine in 10 physicians surveyed said prior authorizations had increased over the past five years and interfered with continuity of care, and seven in 10 had difficulty determining when the authorizations are required. Only 21 percent of physicians had electronic health record systems that offer electronic prior authorization for prescription medicines, and only 8 percent contract with health plans that apply prior authorization selectively.