GI Now for Group Practice-United Healthcare Advance Notification Program

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) held a listening session to discuss key issues regarding UnitedHealthcare's Advanced Notification Program. The session was moderated by Drs. Colleen Schmidt and Joe Vacari. The program aims to raise awareness of how the program could impact practices' reimbursement and administrative burden. Dr. Bruce Hennessey provided an update on ASGE's advocacy efforts against UnitedHealthcare's implementation of a prior authorization program. He mentioned that the program's goal is to gather data to support a prior authorization program and a "gold card" program. However, the lack of transparency and data sharing has raised concerns among practitioners. The advanced notification program has resulted in increased administrative burden, delays in patient care, and limited input from the gastroenterology community. Although participation in the program is voluntary, the ASGE continues its advocacy efforts to ensure that payers have real data to justify prior authorization processes. Practitioners shared their perspectives, highlighting concerns about administrative burden, transparency in evaluation criteria, limited collaboration between payers and providers, and potential impacts on patient access to care. The panel also discussed the need for appropriate staffing and training to navigate the program effectively. The session concluded with a discussion on the legal options and the need for continued communication and collaboration among practitioners to address the challenges posed by UnitedHealthcare's program.

Keywords

American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

ASGE

UnitedHealthcare

Advanced Notification Program

reimbursement

administrative burden

prior authorization program

transparency

data sharing