These health care hurdles can stand in the way of getting treatment your doctor says you need. Here's what to know about how to deal with them.

Does Medicare require prior authorization? Medicare Advantage plans often require prior authorization. But these coverage reviews are rare for original Medicare. That distinction changes in 2026. Many ...

When Paula Chestnut needed hip replacement surgery last year, a pre-operative X-ray found irregularities in her chest. As a smoker for 40 years, Chestnut was at high risk for lung cancer. A specialist ...

Have you ever walked into the pharmacy and been told that your prescription requires a prior authorization? But your healthcare professional prescribed something for you, and you brought in your ...

Prior authorization has long been a sticking point between payers and providers, with payers arguing that it’s necessary to control costs and ensure that care is medically necessary and providers ...

To combat growing criticism of prior authorization delays by payers, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized a rule Wednesday that requires health plans to send prior authorization ...

Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an agreement with Medicare Advantage plans to lessen the use of prior authorization, but the agency also said it would ...

A new survey of physicians finds they are still facing burdens meeting prior authorization requirements despite a voluntary 2018 agreement among payer groups to reform the practice. The survey was ...

About 32% of Americans say prior authorization requirements are a major burden, more than billing confusion or finding appointments, according to the January 2026 survey.

Cigna is the latest health insurer to roll back prior authorization requirements, announcing Thursday that it will no longer require the approvals for nearly 25% of medical services. Cigna plans to ...

HENRICO, Va. — Sheldon Ekirch spends a lot of time on hold with her health insurance company. Sometimes, as the minutes tick by and her frustration mounts, Ekirch, 30, opens a meditation app on her ...

Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) denied one out of eight prior authorization requests in 2019, according to a new report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The OIG review included ...