The second and final wave of UnitedHealthcare's prior authorization cuts began Nov. 1.
In August, the payer released details of its plan to eliminate 20 percent of its current prior authorization requirements. The first round of cuts took effect Sept. 1.
This round includes cuts to community plans. No eliminations for those plans took place in September.
See the lists of eliminated codes below:
- UnitedHealthcare commercial plans
- UnitedHealthcare Oxford plan
- UnitedHealthcare individual exchange plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans
- UnitedHealthcare community plans (Medicaid and D-SNP)
Other payers have announced cuts to prior authorizations this year, including Cigna, who said in August that it has removed prior authorization requirements for more than 600 medical procedures, cutting the number of prior authorizations it requires by 25 percent.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan said in September it is cutting approximately 20 percent of its prior authorization requirements and expanding its gold card program. UnitedHealthcare is also implementing a national gold card plan in 2024 and said it will release more information later this year.