Skip to Primary Navigation

Most prior authorization rejections lead to delays or non-approvals

A photo of medication bottles lined up on multiple pharmacy shelves.
Photo: Eric Thayer/Getty Images

A new study finds that a process designed to ensure patients receive timely and appropriate care may actually be gumming up the works.

A new national study published by JAMA Health Forum finds that when a health insurer initially rejects a prescription for a brand‑name medication, patients often face long delays, and many never receive the medication at all.

Prior authorization (PA) is a process insurers use to review whether a treatment