UHC, Aetna, Cigna report progress on standardizing electronic prior authorization

UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, and Cigna, as part of an industry-wide commitment led by AHIP and the BCBS Association, report progress toward standardizing electronic prior authorization. The insurers claim the initiative, which began in early 2025, is reducing manual paperwork and speeding decisions. According to the report, health plans have achieved an 11% reduction in prior authorization requirements overall since the start of the program. While the promise is faster, automated decisions, the onus remains on practices to ensure their EHRs and practice management systems are updated to interface with payer-specific portals and APIs. This is a signal of continued pressure from federal rules mandating electronic prior auth, but concrete workflow changes for practices will depend on their specific payer mix and technology integrations.