RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz say health insurers will cut red tape on 'prior authorizations'
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Major Insurers Pledge Prior Authorization Reform
Above: Medicare & Medicaid Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz (L) and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (R) on June 23, 2025. Image copyright: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
This voluntary agreement is a meaningful breakthrough in addressing a bureaucratic nightmare that has plagued American healthcare for years. The insurance industry finally recognizes that prior authorization has gone too far, creating unnecessary barriers between patients and life-saving care. These reforms will streamline access to essential services.
Government-critical narrative
This voluntary pledge is nothing more than corporate theater designed to avoid real regulatory action. Insurance companies have reneged on these types of promises in the past and, without binding legislation or enforceable penalties, these measures will likely follow the same pattern. There are more effective solutions that the government could pursue.