Patient Clinical Outcomes Shortchanged by Prior Authorization

The American Medical Association announced the results of a new prior authorization (PA) physician survey issued in December 2017. The results provide strong evidence of the significant impact that the burdensome PA process can have on both patients and physician practices. According to the survey, which examined the experiences of 1,000 patient care physicians, nearly two-thirds (64 percent) report waiting at least one business day for prior authorization decisions from insurers—and nearly a third (30 percent) said they wait three business days or longer. Full report.