Verma Says Prior Authorization ‘Indefensible,’ But Budget Proposes More

CMS Administrator Seema Verma told the American Medical Association on Tuesday (Feb. 11) that CMS will tackle prior authorization this year, calling the process indefensible just one day after the president’s fiscal 2021 budget proposed to add prior authorization requirements to traditional Medicare. “The prior authorization process became indefensible years ago. Patients are frustrated and doctors are sick of pointlessly wrangling with insurance companies,” Verma told the physicians’ national advocacy conference. “Prior authorization requirements are a primary driver of physician...