Industry
UnitedHealth Group Drops Prior Authorization for 1,700 Services, Faces Maryland Lawsuit
UnitedHealth Group has announced plans to eliminate prior authorization requirements for 1,700 services, a significant operational change affecting providers and patients. The company also faces a lawsuit from Maryland's attorney general, though specific allegations were not detailed in the brief. Additional updates include the appointment of Ujjwal Ratan as chief AI officer at Optum Insight. These developments span regulatory compliance, clinical operations, and corporate leadership at the nation's largest health insurer.
Why it mattersPrior authorization changes at UnitedHealth affect Medicaid managed care operations in states where UnitedHealth's plans serve beneficiaries, potentially reducing administrative burden for providers and accelerating access to care.