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**US Health Officials Announce Voluntary Agreement with Insurers to Reform Prior Authorization**

**Washington D.C.** – In a move hailed as a “good start,” U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) chief Dr. Mehmet Oz announced a voluntary agreement with insurance companies aimed at reforming the often-criticized practice of prior authorization. Prior authorization requires patients to obtain permission from their insurance company before receiving certain medical treatments, a process that has been widely criticized for causing delays and denials of necessary care.

Dr. Oz emphasized the prevalence of the issue, stating that 85% of Americans or their loved ones have experienced negative consequences due to prior authorization. While not legally binding, the agreement aims to encourage insurers to standardize approval processes, expedite decision-making, reduce the number of procedures requiring prior authorization, honor existing approvals when patients change insurers, and create a public dashboard to track denial rates.

Secretary Kennedy called the agreement “momentous,” expressing hope that it will improve the health system. The Trump administration officials said that this agreement would cover 275 million Americans.

However, the announcement has been met with skepticism. Concerns linger about the voluntary nature of the pledge, especially given a similar agreement made in 2018 that was largely seen as unfulfilled. The American Medical Association (AMA) has been publicly arguing that insurers failed to live up to the prior deal.

Adding to the complexities, congressional Republicans are pushing legislation that could result in millions losing health insurance, a move critics say would exacerbate access to care issues. Some, like Representative Greg Murphy, a surgeon, questioned the sincerity of insurers’ commitment, stating, “the proof is going to be in the pudding.” He and other legislators said that they would be open to regulations, but he questions whether insurers would abide by the agreement.

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