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“Americans shouldn’t have to negotiate with their insurer to get the care they need,” said Secretary Kennedy. “Pitting patients and their doctors against massive companies was not good for anyone. We are actively working with industry to make it easier to get prior authorization for common services such as diagnostic imaging, physical therapy, and outpatient surgery.”
Oz, long a familiar face in American households, hailed the private sector’s role but made it clear that the government’s watchful eye would ensure these promises aren’t empty.
“These commitments represent a step in the right direction toward restoring trust, easing burdens on providers, and helping patients receive timely, evidence-based care,” said Administrator Oz. “We applaud these voluntary actions by the private sector, which is how these types of issues should be solved. CMS will be evaluating progress and driving accountability toward our shared goals, as we continue to champion solutions that put patients first.”
At the heart of this shake-up are six major commitments that insurers have promised to implement. These changes aim to remove bureaucratic obstacles and let patients get care without waiting for weeks for rubber stamps.
The insurers have agreed to standardize electronic prior authorization processes, cutting paperwork and delays. They also vowed to slash the number of services requiring prior approval by January 1, 2026. Another big shift: patients who switch insurance plans will no longer lose approvals they’ve already secured for ongoing treatments.
Equally significant is the commitment to improve how insurance companies communicate decisions and handle appeals. Real-time approvals for the majority of requests are on the horizon by 2027. And perhaps the most critical shift: medical professionals, not faceless bureaucrats, will handle clinical denials moving forward.
While some Democrats may argue for bigger government mandates, Republicans are crediting the Trump administration’s willingness to work with private industry rather than impose top-down regulations.
Several GOP lawmakers attended the roundtable and left impressed. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS), himself a physician, praised the Trump team’s leadership:
“This is an important topic that has continued to be an issue for far too long,” Marshall said. “I applaud the leadership of Secretary Kennedy and President Trump for bringing us all to the table to find solutions for our patients and providers.”
Representative Greg Murphy (R-NC), co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a veteran physician, has long battled the insurance bureaucracy and offered a firsthand perspective on how insurers tie doctors’ hands:
“As a physician for over 30 years, I witnessed the ridiculous and ever-increasing obstructions caused by insurance companies to delay or deny care to patients,” Murphy explained.
He didn’t mince words about the costs to practices and patients alike:
“These bureaucratic hurdles end up hurting patients and those who care for them,” Murphy said. “Practices have had to hire many more staff just simply to fight with insurance companies.”
Murphy’s gratitude was clear:
“President Trump, Secretary Kennedy, and Administrator Oz for working to improve the prior authorization process for American patients.”
Under President Trump, the guiding principle has been less red tape and more collaboration with the private sector. It’s an approach Dr. Oz underscored during the event:
“We applaud these voluntary actions by the private sector, which is how these types of issues should be solved.”
Yet the Trump administration isn’t naive about corporate promises. Officials have pledged that if insurers don’t deliver, the government is ready to step in:
CMS supports “continued innovation and collaboration but reserves the right to pursue additional regulatory actions if necessary.”
Millions of Americans who rely on Medicare Advantage, Medicaid Managed Care, Marketplace plans, and commercial insurance stand to benefit from these reforms. Kennedy and Oz’s initiative sends a blunt warning to insurance companies: get on board or face consequences.
For patients worn down by months-long waits and endless paperwork just to access lifesaving treatments, the news feels like a long-overdue victory. Whether the insurance giants follow through remains to be seen—but one thing is certain: Washington’s spotlight is firmly fixed on them now.
