Stop Prior Authorization to Empower We the Patients

Deane Waldman, M.D., MBA -Despite the much ballyhooed sticker shock of health insurance price hikes, unaffordability is not considered the biggest obstacle to getting medical care. According to a just-released KFF survey, the U.S. public considers prior authorization (PrAuth) the “greatest hurdle” to obtaining the care they need when they need it.

PrAuth is a process that third-party payers use to decide if they will pay for care recommended by your doctor. If the answer is yes, the third party decides how much to pay and to whom, all pre-arranged by contract.

There is a way to remove the PrAuth barrier and at the same time, solve the unaffordability crisis. Continue reading →