Gastroenterologists and patients joined together on Capitol Hill to highlight their concerns to Congress over prior authorization.
"Prior authorization has become increasingly utilized by insurers who provide no rationale or data to justify its implementation. This often results in serious health care access issues and adverse patient outcomes due to significant delays or outright denial of care. Instead of getting timely treatment, many patients have told us that the stress of fighting their own insurance company exacerbates their conditions. It's unconscionable that patients are often put through an administrative obstacle course when they should be getting quickly approved for medically necessary care," Barbara Jung, MD, president of the American Gastroenterological Association, said in a Sept. 21 email shared with Becker's.
During the gathering attendees also vocalized their concerns about UnitedHealthcare's proposed gold card prior authorization policy.
Ninety-five percent of respondents to a 2023 survey of AGA's membership say that prior authorization restrictions have affected patient access to clinically appropriate treatments and patient clinical outcomes.