Families USA

04/07/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/07/2026 09:55

Acknowledging AHIP Report on Prior Authorization, Health Consumer Groups Call for Additional Progress and Policy to Prevent Unnecessary Delays and Denials to Care

04.07.2026 /Statement

Washington, DC - Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA, the longtime national nonpartisan health care consumer advocacy organization, responded today to the progress update released by the Association of Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) reporting on the voluntary commitments made by plans to simplify prior authorization (PA):

"American families and patients are increasingly frustrated with a health care system that is too costly and too complex to get the care they need. Delays and denials by health insurers top the list of consumer complaints after costs. We appreciate the insurance industry's acknowledgment about the overuse of prior authorization and its initial steps to reduce the red tape that too many patients face, even as we press for more detailed data and more patient protections in law.

  • "The projected 11 percent reduction in prior authorization, or 6.5 million fewer PA requests, shows that meaningful improvements are possible without increasing unnecessary care. More can and should be done.
  • "We welcome the commitment to continuity of care, ensuring treatments approved by one plan are honored when patients switch plans. Standardizing practices across our fragmented health system is essential.
  • "We look forward to the implementation of technology improvements to speed up approvals. Delays too often become de facto denials. AI can accelerate approvals, but denials should require human and clinical oversight, so no patient is denied care by an algorithm alone."

"Voluntary commitments ack nowledge the problem, but they are not a substitute for a solution in statute, with enforceable standards and accountability.

  • Patients deserve their care approved in real time, and the ability to easily appeal denials to an independent medical review-regardless of what state they live in, or what kind of coverage they have.
  • Insurers should compete on cost, quality, and service - not on how aggressively they deny care. Independent review helps align medical necessity determinations with clinical evidence, not the insurer's business plan.

"Lasting change requires clear consumer protections, legislative action, and strong oversight to ensure that patients get the care they need regardless of how they are insured."

Families USA published this content on April 07, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 07, 2026 at 15:55 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]