Requirement Should Be Lifted Prior to the End of 2026
By: Stephanie Davidson, MAC Insurance Director
Last week, UnitedHealthcare announced that they are eliminating prior authorization (PA) requirements for 30% of healthcare services that previously required insurer approval, including chiropractic care. The PA requirement is expected to be eliminated before the end of 2026.
“Prior authorization is an essential safeguard but should only be used when it truly protects patients and improves care,” said Tim Noel, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. “Eliminating these requirements is one more way we are working to make it easier for patients to get the care they need when they need it and ensure doctors can spend more time with their patients. We are committed to further improving and refining our processes to make reviews quicker, simpler and more efficient.”
In response to the UnitedHealthcare announcement, ACA President Kris Anderson, DC, released the following statement: “UnitedHealthcare’s decision to remove prior authorization for chiropractic services aligns well with ongoing efforts to reduce reliance on prescription opioid pain medications, especially for common musculoskeletal conditions. When used at the onset of an episode of spine-related pain, chiropractic services offer an evidence-based, non-drug approach for pain management that research has shown not only to alleviate pain and improve function but also to reduce costly downstream healthcare services such as surgery, hospitalizations and ER visits.”
Other services expected to no longer require prior authorization prior to the end of this year are select outpatient surgeries, diagnostic tests, and outpatient therapies. A full list will be available on UHCProvider.com before these changes take effect.
It has long been the stance of the MAC Insurance Relations team that prior authorization programs like UnitedHealthcare’s requirement for chiropractic care are detrimental to both patients and to the health care system in general by limiting access to conservative care and providers, potentially driving patients to more costly, invasive options. Adding an additional, resource-straining prerequisite to care is a disincentive for providers to treat that insurer’s beneficiaries.
Additionally, these kinds of requirements adversely affect beneficiaries in underserved areas, as they are unable to access chiropractic and other conservative treatment options due to provider unavailability. This drives patients to greater Emergency Room utilization, more invasive and costly procedures, and potentially addictive medications.
Finally, prior authorization processes impose disproportionate administrative and financial burdens on providers for minimal reimbursement, discouraging providers from treating those patients due to economic unsustainability.
According to the insurer, UnitedHealthcare’s decision is part of the insurer’s “continued focus on reducing administrative complexity, improving the care experience and helping people access care more easily and efficiently.”
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
Sources:
UnitedHealthcare Press Release, “UnitedHealthcare Cuts Prior Authorization Requirements by 30%,” May 5, 2026
American Chiropractic Association Comments on UnitedHealthcare Policy Change for Chiropractic Care, May 7, 2026
