{"id":1016084,"date":"2026-11-02T10:44:38","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T15:44:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/unitedhealthcare-makes-it-easier-and-quicker-for-children-to-get-care-for-2000-pediatric-care-services\/"},"modified":"2026-11-02T10:44:38","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T15:44:38","slug":"unitedhealthcare-makes-it-easier-and-quicker-for-children-to-get-care-for-2000-pediatric-care-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/unitedhealthcare-makes-it-easier-and-quicker-for-children-to-get-care-for-2000-pediatric-care-services\/","title":{"rendered":"UnitedHealthcare Makes it Easier and Quicker for Children to Get Care for 2,000 Pediatric Care Services"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

UnitedHealthcare Makes it Easier and Quicker for Children to Get Care for 2,000 Pediatric Care Services<\/b><\/p>\n

Changes take effect Dec. 1 and deliver on a promise to cut nearly 2\/3 of pediatric prior authorizations<\/i><\/p>\n

–(BUSINESS WIRE<\/a>)–
\nBeginning Dec. 1, children covered by UnitedHealthcare will no longer need prior authorization for more than 2,000 pediatric care codes spanning common services, diagnostic imaging, sleep studies, cancer treatment and orthopedic care.<\/p>\n

\nExamples include ear tube and tonsil procedures, sleep studies, MRI and CT scans, joint procedures, cardiac procedures, and some oncology and chemotherapy services.<\/p>\n

\nUnitedHealthcare chose to fast-track services that are widely considered in the medical community to be safe and effective, resulting in a nearly two-thirds reduction of prior authorization volume. As a result, clinicians, families and caregivers will be able to spend more time focused on patients.<\/p>\n

\n\u201cEvery child deserves a health care experience centered on their needs,\u201d said Tim Noel, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. \u201cThese changes will help make that experience simpler for children, their families and the physicians who care for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\nToday, UnitedHealthcare published<\/a> the full list of more than 2,000 distinct CPT\u00ae<\/sup> codes that will no longer require prior authorization for patients under age 18. The publication follows UnitedHealthcare\u2019s May commitment<\/a> to eliminate nearly two-thirds of pediatric prior authorization requirements and gives care providers information to prepare for the changes.<\/p>\n

\nSelect complex services will still need prior authorization, such as certain injectable medications, genetic tests, surgical procedures, and those that are required to be managed by state regulations.<\/p>\n

\nThe changes announced today apply to UnitedHealthcare commercial plans, UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans and UnitedHealthcare Community Plans, where permissible by state law. For eligible UnitedHealthcare members, the changes aren\u2019t limited to care delivered at specific pediatric facilities. Some pediatric services will continue to require advance notification.<\/p>\n

\nProviders should review the applicable CPT\u00ae<\/sup> code list and use the Prior Authorization and Notification tool on the UnitedHealthcare Provider Portal to verify requirements for a specific service, member and plan.<\/p>\n

Continuing Efforts to Simplify Prior Authorization<\/b><\/p>\n

\nToday\u2019s announcement builds on UnitedHealthcare\u2019s broader efforts to simplify and modernize prior authorization and improve the health care experience for providers and patients, including:<\/p>\n