Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Insurance Prior Authorization Delays Cancer Treatment by Up to Two Weeks, Forcing Suboptimal Care Decisions

- Insurance appeals processes for cancer treatments can delay care by several days to over two weeks, creating significant anxiety for both patients and providers. - Providers are sometimes forced to abandon evidence-based first-line treatments and pivot to suboptimal alternatives due to lengthy prior authorization requirements. - The administrative burden of insurance hurdles is particularly detrimental for patients with aggressive cancers who require immediate treatment initiation. - Value-based care models may inadvertently exacerbate healthcare disparities by creating additional administrative burdens that strain resources in underserved communities.