The article reports on the ongoing opposition by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and 17 patient advocacy organizations to UnitedHealthcare’s advance notification program. This program, which was implemented earlier in the year, has raised concerns among GI professionals.
Key Points from the Article:
Concerns Over Patient Care: The AGA and other groups are worried that UnitedHealthcare’s advance notification program could disrupt access to endoscopies and colonoscopies for its 27.4 million commercial beneficiaries. They argue that the program creates significant administrative burdens, slowing down patient care.
Advance Notification and Prior Authorization Programs: The article discusses the impact of both the advance notification program and the upcoming “gold card” prior authorization program, set to launch in early 2024. The latter is expected to cause further delays in critical GI diagnostic and surveillance procedures.
Response from UnitedHealthcare: According to the letter from the AGA and patient advocacy groups, UnitedHealthcare has been non-receptive to the concerns raised since June. The insurer has reportedly not engaged with the gastroenterology community to ensure patient care is not disrupted.
The AGA and other groups are actively seeking to reverse these policies to prevent any negative impact on patient access to essential GI procedures. Becker’s ASC Review has reached out to UnitedHealthcare for comment and plans to update the story with any new information.