Why Prior Authorization Is Healthcare's Biggest Bottleneck

95% of physicians say prior authorization delays care — and 79% see patients abandon treatment because of it.

Prior authorization was designed as a cost-control mechanism. In practice, it has become the single largest source of administrative drag in American healthcare — a daily friction tax paid by patients, providers, and payers alike.

In the AMA's 2025 prior authorization physician survey, 95% of physicians said prior authorization delays access to necessary care and 94% said it contributes to burnout. Practices completed an average of 40 prior authorization requests per physician per week — roughly 13 hours of physician and staff time. More telling still: 79% reported patients abandoning treatment altogether because of the process. Source: AMA 2025 Prior Authorization Physician Survey, n=1,000.