Eighty-nine percent of providers said that prior authorizations were very or extremely burdensome, according to the Medical Group Management Association's 2023 "Regulatory Burden Report."
The survey included responses from 350 group practices. Sixty percent are in practices with fewer than 20 physicians and 16% are in practices with more than 100 physicians.
Here are four more key statistics on the burdens of prior authorization:
1. Ninety percent of respondents said their overall regulatory burden has increased over the last year.
2. Ninety-seven percent said patients experienced delays or denials for medically necessary care because of prior authorizations.
3. Ninety-two percent said their practice hired or redistributed staff to work on prior authorizations due to the request increase.
4. When asked about specific challenges with prior authorizations, 88% cited delays in prior authorization decisions, 80% said inconsistent payer payment policies and 83% said prior authorizations for routinely approved services.