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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
UnitedHealthcare is cutting red tape — big time. Starting October 1, the insurance giant will drop prior authorization requirements for a broad range of services spanning cardiology, orthopedics, genetic testing, and more. The move is part of a broader push to eliminate prior auth for 30% of healthcare services by year's end, with rural hospitals getting extra relief through a new waiver program launching November 1.
UnitedHealthcare is making its biggest administrative overhaul in years. Effective October 1, the insurer will eliminate prior authorization requirements for a wide swath of services — including cardiology, genetic and lab testing, chiropractic care, physical and occupational therapy, and orthopedic procedures. The changes apply across commercial plans, Medicare Advantage, and ACA marketplace plans, and are part of a stated goal to cut prior auth requirements for 30% of healthcare services by the end of 2026.
This isn't a one-off move. UnitedHealthcare has been steadily rolling back prior auth burdens throughout the year — nixing nearly two-thirds of pediatric prior auth requirements in May, exempting rural providers from most requirements, and reducing reauthorizations on dozens of drugs through its pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx. The insurer also joined an industry-wide pledge in 2025 to reform prior auth protocols, and the sector has collectively reduced prior authorizations by 11% under that initiative.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Prior authorization has long been a flashpoint between insurers, physicians, and patients — delaying care and drowning providers in paperwork. UnitedHealthcare's sweeping rollback signals a meaningful shift in how the nation's largest insurer approaches care access, and could pressure other payers to follow suit.
