The majority of physicians say prior authorization requirements are a large burden and lead to worse patient outcomes, according to a March 13 survey from the American Medical Association.
The survey was conducted in December and includes responses from 1,001 practicing U.S. physicians. Forty percent of those surveyed are primary care physicians while 60 percent are specialists.
Seven key takeaways:
- Ninety-four percent of physicians said prior authorization has delayed access to necessary care.
- Eighty-nine percent of physicians said prior authorization has had a negative impact on patient outcomes.
- Eighty-eight percent of physicians said prior authorization burdens were high or extremely high and 35 percent employ staff specifically for tasks associated with prior authorization.
- Eighty percent of physicians said patients have stopped treatment because of prior authorization issues with payers.
- Fifty-eight percent of physicians who provided care for working patients said prior authorization had affected the patient's job performance.
- One-third of physicians said prior authorization has led to a serious event with a patient, including hospitalization (25 percent), permanent impairment (19 percent) or death (9 percent).
- Fifteen percent of physicians said that payer's prior authorization criteria were often or always evidence-based.