UnitedHealthcare to Cut 20% of Prior Authorizations and Introduce New Gold Card Program

UnitedHealthcare has announced plans to eliminate 20% of its current prior authorizations and implement a national Gold Card Program.

The prior authorization code reductions will begin in the third quarter for most Commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans. In 2024, UnitedHealthcare will launch the National Gold Card Program for care provider groups that meet eligibility requirements. The Gold Card program will apply to members across Commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans. According to the announcement rather than the prior authorization process, qualifying care provider groups will follow a simple notification process for most procedure codes.

“Prior authorizations help ensure member safety and lower the total cost of care, but we understand they can be a pain point for providers and members,” said Dr. Anne Docimo, chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare. “We need to continue to make sure the system works better for everyone, and we will continue to evaluate prior authorization codes and look for opportunities to limit or remove them while improving our systems and infrastructure. We hope other health plans will make similar changes.”

Source: https://newsroom.uhc.com/experience/easing-prior-authorizations.html