Prior authorization is a process where your doctor has to get approval from your insurance company before you can receive certain treatments, tests, or medications, if you want them covered. If that approval doesn't happen, your insurer may not pay. On paper, the idea is pretty straightforward. Insurers use prior authorization as a way to manage costs and make sure care is medically necessary, safe, and cost-effective. It's one of the most common tools used in U.S. healthcare to control the use of expensive or potentially avoidable services. So why do doctors and patients hate them so much? Be sure to check out our podcast! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkfBg8ML-gInFaYyYhKLBp2u7h5IojTw4 Other Healthcare Triage Links: 1. Support the channel on Patreon: http://vid.io/xqXr 2. Check out our Facebook page: http://goo.gl/LnOq5z 3. We still have merchandise available at http://www.hctmerch.com 4. Aaron's book "The Bad Food Bible: How and Why to Eat Sinfully" is available wherever books are sold, such as Amazon: http://amzn.to/2hGvhKw Credits: Aaron Carroll -- Writer Tiffany Doherty -- Writer and Script Editor John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Mark Olsen – Art Director, Producer