A 2017 survey by the American Medical Association (AMA) showed that physicians report an increase in prior authorization (PA) burdens imposed by insurance companies and other payers. In the survey, 84% of physicians responded that the burden associated with PAs is either high or extremely high, and 92% report they can have a negative impact on patient clinical outcomes. Expenses for PAs add up as do the costs associated with fighting denials. An article in the AMA Wire reported on how the Cleveland Clinic documented the heavy financial burden of PA on their system. They expect to process 900,000 outpatient PA cases in 2018 and spend $10.7 million in processing the cases. Full story.