UnitedHealth Group to Eliminate Prior Authorization Requirements

MINNETONKA, Minnesota—UnitedHealth Group announced it will eliminate prior authorization requirements for 1,700 service codes, including many under home healthcare and durable medical equipment (DME).

The changes, which will go into effect on Oct. 1, follow UnitedHealth’s May announcement that it would shrink prior authorization volume by 30% by the end of 2026.

UnitedHealth’s prior authorization reductions will affect home health, DME, occupational and speech therapy and site-of-service reviews, among other services. The change will impact global current procedural terminology (CPT) codes for UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans and commercial plans. CPT codes describe procedures for physicians and other qualified healthcare professionals to perform.

“Removing these prior authorization requirements is part of our effort to help reduce administrative work, remove barriers that can delay care and give you more time to focus on patient care,” UnitedHealth said on its website.

To access the full list of affected services, click here.