According to a progress update from America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, participating insurers have eliminated approximately 11 percent of prior authorization requirements overall, including more than 15 percent in Medicare Advantage plans. This progress stems from a 2025 pledge in which more than 60 major health insurance companies signed a non-binding agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services, committing to six actions designed to streamline the prior authorization process across insurance markets.
The pledge set goals for 2026 that included further reducing the number of services subject to prior authorization and improving care coordination for patients who switch insurers mid-treatment by honoring existing authorizations for 90 days. By 2027, participating plans aim to increase transparency around prior authorization decisions and appeals and to process at least 80 percent of electronic prior authorization requests in real time.
Despite this progress, voluntary measures may be insufficient to bring about meaningful, lasting reform. Patient advocates continue to urge Congress to pass binding legislation that would establish enforceable national standards and mandate independent medical review of denials to ensure coverage decisions are based on clinical evidence rather than insurer financial considerations. Read the AHIP and BCBS update.
Last Updated on May 31, 2026 by Aimed Alliance
