Hawaii lawmakers have introduced legislation that seeks to address growing provider concerns around the prior authorization process.
The bill would require insurers to report data related to prior authorization to the state and would introduce specific timelines for the approval of prior authorization requests for both urgent and non-urgent services. Non-urgent services would be automatically approved if a decision is not made within 48 hours, and urgent services would be automatically approved if not decided within 24 hours.
The bill also proposes the creation of a working group to research and make recommendations on improving the prior authorization process, which would include representatives from insurers, clinicians, and consumers. The group would recommend appropriate timelines for decision-making and assess whether it is appropriate to require prior authorization for various treatments and services. The bill was introduced in January, and the most recent hearing on it was held in March.
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