UnitedHealthcare announced Tuesday that it will further ease prior authorization requirements for a slew of services.
The insurance giant said it would eliminate authorization requirements for 30% of services that previously required payer approval. The company said it plans to roll out the changes by the end of the year, with services included ranging from certain outpatient surgeries to diagnostic tests like echocardiograms to chiropractic care.
UnitedHealth said this effort builds on its work to reduce administrative barriers and lower costs, which, beyond the steady decrease in services subject to prior authorization, includes the expansion of its provider Gold Card program and investments in digital capabilities to accelerate existing processes.
“Prior authorization is an essential safeguard but should only be used when it truly protects patients and improves care,” said Tim Noel, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, in the announcement. “Eliminating these requirements is one more way we are working to make it easier for patients to get the care they need when they need it and ensure doctors can spend more time with their patients."
"We are committed to further improving and refining our processes to make reviews quicker, simpler and more efficient," Noel added.
The company said that about 2% of services are subject to prior authorization, and of those submitted, 92% are approved. UnitedHealth said it can process a response within 24 hours on average.
UnitedHealthcare also said it has required fewer prior authorizations in Medicare Advantage than other payers.
Over the past several months, UnitedHealth has announced a number of initiatives aimed at easing prior authorization. In June of 2025, it was one of the leading payers on a nationwide pledge to reform prior authorization protocols and embrace electronic submissions.
Insurers offered an update on that initiative in April, where they said they've reduced prior authorizations by 11% as part of the pledge. And later in the month, insurance organizations announced a push toward more standardized requirements for prior authorization.
At UnitedHealthcare in particular, the company announced last month that it will eliminate most prior authorization requirements for rural providers. UnitedHealth's pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, has also taken steps to reduce reauthorizations on many drugs.