Protecting Revenue: How to Prevent Clinical Denials
Clinical denials are a growing challenge for healthcare providers, with industry-wide denial rates increasing by 20-30% over the past two years. Medicare Advantage plans alone have seen a staggering 55% rise in denials, according to a recent American Hospital Association study. These trends represent a growing administrative burden, financial strain on patients, and operational challenges for healthcare organizations. The rise in denials is fueled by stricter payer policies and administrative complexities. To understand how to respond, healthcare leaders first need to recognize what is driving the increase in denials: Stricter prior authorization requirements: Payers are demanding more detailed documentation upfront. Automated medical necessity denials: These denials often occur without requesting medical records, relying instead on automated systems to flag certain codes or diagnoses. Vague or shifting criteria: Payers state a case "does not meet criteria" with...