AGA is profoundly alarmed and disappointed by UnitedHealthcare’s (UHC) prior authorization requirement for gastroenterology endoscopy services for all commercial plans, regardless of the outpatient location. Speeding up access to care for patients by reforming prior authorization is our #1 advocacy priority.

At our meeting at DDW®, the AGA Governing Board allocated the resources necessary for a sustained fight against the prior authorization policy United Healthcare plans to implement on June 1. Read more about AGA’s position in this press release.  

UnitedHealthcare’s expansion of prior authorization for most physician-prescribed endoscopy procedures — effective June 1 — could disrupt time-sensitive care for millions of patients and create needless anxiety and delays for patients who may have cancer or other serious GI conditions. 

AGA will continue to work with our sister GI societies, patient advocates, policymakers and the broader health care community to push the levers of influence to stop or overturn this policy.