A coalition of 30 health care organizations across Alabama is calling for an end to insurance practices they say delay critical medical care and jeopardize patient health.

The "Fix Prior Authorization" campaign, launched in August 2024 by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, challenges insurance policies requiring prior authorizations. These policies force health care providers to seek insurance company approval before patients can receive treatments, services or medications — a process that often leads to significant delays.

Dr. William Kilgo, director of the Neuroimmunology and MS Clinic at USA Health in Mobile, shared a case highlighting the problem in a news release. One of his patients with multiple sclerosis faced weeks-long delays in obtaining her prescribed medication, causing her condition to deteriorate significantly.

"She had gone from being ambulatory and managing her disease, to facing a life forever altered by this unnecessary and infuriating delay in her care because of prior authorization requirements," Kilgo said in the release.

Members of the coalition, which includes medical societies, patient advocates and professional organizations, argue that prior authorization requirements, once reserved for high-cost procedures, now encompass routine care. The group says the delays increase health care costs and worsen patient outcomes, sometimes with life-altering consequences.

Dr. Amanda Williams, president of the Medical Association and a psychiatrist in Montgomery, emphasized the widespread impact of the issue.

"The problem is it has now morphed into requiring paperwork for very routine medications, routine imaging, routine care and it causes significant delays in treatment," Dr. Williams said. "Usually, it can take days to get a response and often it will just be a denial and require an appeal and then take even longer."

The coalition is urging Alabamians to share their experiences with prior authorization delays at www.ALFixPriorAuth.com. Stories submitted will support the group's efforts to push for change through ongoing discussions with health insurers.

Dr. Ryan Mathew, president of the Alabama Society of Rheumatic Diseases, highlighted the broader implications, including higher health care costs and worsening conditions.

"Needless time and resources are wasted completing prior authorizations that increase the cost of health care for everyone. Moreover, delays in starting treatment could worsen debility due to progression of joint damage, lead to renal failure and in some instances increase risk of death," Mathew said.

The coalition includes organizations spanning multiple specialties, such as the Alabama Academy of Family Physicians, the Alabama Psychiatric Physicians Association, and the Alabama Cancer Congress. Together, they aim to streamline the prior authorization process, ensuring that patients receive timely and effective care.

"Prior authorizations are a major impediment to patient care," said Mobile's Dr. Karen Baker with the Alabama Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. "To get even routine maintenance allergy medications such as asthma inhalers and nasal sprays, as well as more specialty biologic medications approved, requires more and more staff time to complete paperwork, deal with denials and submit appeals. This leads to delayed and sometimes suboptimal care for patients."

For more information or to join the campaign, visit www.ALFixPriorAuth.com.