Re: The Impact of Prior Authorization Requirements on Primary Care Physicians’ Offices: Report of Two Parallel Network Studies
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* Katherine A. Schneider

To the Editor:

Morley et al1 report on practice cost estimates per full-time-equivalent physician for prior authorizations in 2 Northeastern markets, noting that their results vary considerably from previous publications. Across different markets there is substantial variation in the availability and uptake of technology to facilitate this process (eg, multipayer physician/practice web-based portals providing immediate access to patient eligibility, benefits, and engines that automatically approve authorization requests). The authors collected detailed data on the workforce resources (people) expended by the practices, but did not comment on the processes used at those sites as a possible explanation for the seemingly dramatically improved efficiency compared with earlier studies.

## Notes

*   The above letter was referred to the author of the article in question, who offers the following reply.

## Reference

1.  1. Morley CP, Badolato DJ, Hickner J, Epling JW. The impact of prior authorization requirements on primary care physicians’ offices: report of two parallel network studies. J Am Board Fam Med 2013;26:93–5. 
    
    [Abstract/FREE Full Text](http://www.jabfm.org/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6NToiamFiZnAiO3M6NToicmVzaWQiO3M6NzoiMjYvMS85MyI7czo0OiJhdG9tIjtzOjIyOiIvamFiZnAvMjYvMy8zNDAuMS5hdG9tIjt9czo4OiJmcmFnbWVudCI7czowOiIiO30=)