Here are five numbers that provide a snapshot of the burden of prior authorization:
1. According to the Medical Group Management Association's 2023 "Regulatory Burden Report," 97% of respondents said patients experienced delays or denials for medically necessary care because of prior authorizations.
2. In the Medical Group Management Association's report, 92% of respondents said their practice hired or redistributed staff to work on prior authorizations due to the request increase.
3. According to a survey from the American Medical Association, 34% of physicians reported that delays in processing a prior authorization led to a serious adverse event for a patient in their care.
4. Physicians and their staff spend an average of almost two business days, or 13 hours, each week completing prior authorization forms, according to the AMA survey.
5. According to the AMA survey, 88% of physicians described the burden associated with prior authorization as high or extremely high.