Overview

• Dozens of insurers covering 257 million people committed to a six-part plan intended to reduce treatment delays and administrative burdens
• Participants include UnitedHealthcare, CVS Health’s Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Kaiser Permanente and dozens of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans
• The plan sets January 1, 2027 for a common electronic prior authorization framework and January 1, 2026 for narrowing the scope of services requiring approvals
• Insurers will honor existing authorizations for 90 days when patients switch plans and provide clear explanations of decisions with appeal information
• By 2027, plans will aim to process at least 80% of electronic authorization requests in real time and ensure medical review of all clinical denials