Nationwide Survey of Practicing Specialists:
Utilization Management Negatively Affects Clinical Care
Physicians Report Cases of Patients Blinded, Paralyzed Due to Care Delays by Insurers
In the fall of 2022, the Alliance of Specialty Medicine conducted a survey of over 800 specialty physicians on the topic of utilization management. The findings underscore the burden of utilization management protocols on the practice of medicine, both in terms of the negative impact on patient care, as well as the increased administrative onus on medical practices.
Respondents overwhelmingly indicated that the use of prior authorization (PA) has increased in the last five years across all categories of services and treatments: over 93% of respondents answered that PA has increased for procedures; over 83% answered that PA has increased for diagnostic tools, such as labs and even basic imaging; and over 66% answered that PA has increased for prescription drugs, with physicians noting that even many generic medications now require pre-approvals. More information can be found by clicking on the link below.
