In June, UnitedHealthcare attempted to clarify its new advanced notification process, which went into effect on June 1, in the wake of confusion among physicians and industry groups.
Through the program, physicians and practices will be required to submit advanced notification before completing a number of non-screening GI procedures, providing UHC with patient demographic and health data.
Providers who participate in the data collection will be eligible for a UHC "gold card" program, which is set to launch in 2024.
Industry groups, including the Digestive Health Physicians Association, a trade association with 2,400 physician members nationwide, have continued to express disappointment with United's new policies.
"UnitedHealthcare's attempt to clarify its ill-advised advanced notification program doesn't change the fact that this replacement policy will delay care and limit access to life-saving colonoscopy and other endoscopic examinations that prevent cancer," the DHPA said in a June 28 press release.
"UnitedHealthcare knows full well that a small but significant percentage of patients required to go through this process will give up, thus forgoing important, and even lifesaving, procedures. UnitedHealthcare should choose patient care over paperwork and rescind this misguided policy immediately," the group wrote.