Cigna has announced plans to implement changes aimed at improving healthcare, specifically targeting their prior authorization processes. This announcement was met with approval from the American Medical Association (AMA), which expressed its anticipation for concrete actions following this commitment.
"The AMA is pleased that Cigna announced their intention to implement 'tangible actions' to improve health care including changes to their prior authorization processes. Now we await action," stated the organization.
This development comes on the heels of the seventh anniversary of a consensus statement between the AMA and the health insurance industry. The agreement outlined steps to ensure patients have access to safe, timely, and affordable care while reducing administrative burdens for healthcare professionals, hospitals, and insurers.
The AMA is urging Cigna to fully embrace the comprehensive reforms detailed in the consensus statement. The association emphasized the need for reducing authorization requirements, employing transparent and evidence-based clinical criteria, ensuring denials are made only by qualified physicians, and making decisions swiftly within hours instead of days or weeks.
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