Our AMA will: (1) advocate that peer-to-peer (P2P) prior authorization (PA) determinations must be made and actionable at the end of the P2P discussion notwithstanding mitigating circumstances, which would allow for a determination within 24 hours of the P2P discussion; (2) advocate that the reviewing P2P physician must have the clinical expertise to treat the medical condition or disease under review and have knowledge of the current, evidence-based clinical guidelines and novel treatments; (3) advocate that P2P PA reviewers follow evidence-based guidelines consistent with national medical specialty society guidelines where available and applicable; (4) continue to advocate for a reduction in the overall volume of health plans’ PA requirements and urge temporary suspension of all PA requirements and the extension of existing approvals during a declared public health emergency; (5) advocate that health plans must undertake every effort to accommodate the physician’s schedule when requiring peer-to-peer prior authorization conversations; and (6) advocate that health plans must not require prior authorization on any medically necessary surgical or other invasive procedure related or incidental to the original procedure if it is furnished during the course of an operation or procedure that was already approved or did not require prior authorization.
Policy Timeline