UnitedHealthcare cuts prior authorization requirements by nearly a third, with emphasis on outpatient services

In early May, UnitedHealthcare announced plans to eliminate prior authorization requirements for roughly 30% of services that currently require advance approval, phased in by the end of the year. According to the company’s press release, the eliminations will include “select outpatient surgeries, some diagnostic tests like echocardiograms, and certain outpatient therapies and chiropractic care,” with a full list to come at a later date.