{"id":2121981,"date":"2026-01-06T14:20:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T19:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/?page_id=2121981"},"modified":"2026-02-02T11:54:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T16:54:40","slug":"deadly-denials","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/deadly-denials\/","title":{"rendered":"Deadly Denials"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull\" style=\"min-height:430px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3840\" height=\"2160\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-2121984\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg 3840w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=500,281 500w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=1270,714 1270w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=2048,1152 2048w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=120,68 120w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=170,96 170w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=315,177 315w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=630,354 630w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/deadly-denials-art.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3840px) 100vw, 3840px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#713434\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">Deadly Denials<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#a6a6a6\">\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">Designed by health insurance companies to prevent doctors from deploying expensive, ineffectual procedures, prior authorization \u2014 sometimes called pre-authorization or pre-certification \u2014 has become a confusing maze that denies or delays care, burdens physicians with paperwork, and perpetuates racial disparities. Proposed federal rules may not be enough to solve the problems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading screen-reader-text\">Featured Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-style-featured-stories is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kaiser-health-news-common-single-post-selector is-style-overlay\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/prior-authorization-insurer-denials-patients-run-out-of-options\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"text-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h2 post-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2018Not Accountable to Anyone\u2019: As Insurers Issue Denials, Some Patients Run Out of Options\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-date\">June 16, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-excerpt\">Health insurers issue millions of prior authorization denials every year, leaving many patients stuck in a convoluted appeals process, with little hope of meaningful policy change ahead. For doctors, these denials are frustrating and time-consuming. For patients, they can be devastating.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-container\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Tennant_15.jpg);background-position: 50% 50%;background-size: cover;\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kaiser-health-news-common-single-post-selector is-style-overlay\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/prior-authorization-denials-cancer-treatment-west-virginia-death\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"text-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h2 post-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAfter Series of Denials, His Insurer Approved Doctor-Recommended Cancer Care. It Was Too Late.\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-date\">November 21, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-excerpt\">Eric Tennant\u2019s doctors recommended histotripsy, which would target, and potentially destroy, a cancerous tumor in his liver. But by the time his insurer approved the treatment, Tennant was no longer considered a good candidate. He died in September.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-container\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/tennant-thumb.jpg);background-position: 36% 0%;background-size: cover;\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kaiser-health-news-common-single-post-selector is-style-overlay\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/prior-authorization-bipartisan-reform-health-insurance-outrage-ceo-killing\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"text-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h2 post-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2018They Won\u2019t Help Me\u2019: Sickest Patients Face Insurance Denials Despite Policy Fixes\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-date\">March 31, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-excerpt\">The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson prompted both grief and public outrage about the ways insurers deny treatment. Republicans and Democrats agree prior authorization needs fixing, but patients are growing impatient.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-container\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/Ekirch_07.jpg);background-position: 43% 27%;background-size: cover;\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kaiser-health-news-common-single-post-selector is-style-overlay\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/prior-authorization-walk-in-clinic-tick-bite-coverage-denial\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"text-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h2 post-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTicked Off Over Preauthorization: Walk-In Patient Avoided Lyme Disease but Not a Surprise Bill\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-date\">November 18, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-excerpt\">A Maine woman sought care at a clinic for a tick bite, then paid full price after her insurer denied coverage. Its reason? She didn&#039;t have preapproval for the walk-in visit, even though testing later detected the pathogen that causes Lyme disease. <\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-container\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/Kovitch_04-thumb.jpg);background-position: 52% 32%;background-size: cover;\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kaiser-health-news-common-single-post-selector is-style-overlay\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/health-insurance-denial-prior-authorization-7-tips-to-file-appeal\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"text-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h2 post-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFighting a Health Insurance Denial? Here Are 7 Tips To Help\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-date\">September 4, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-excerpt\">Many people don\u2019t know they can fight a health insurance denial, let alone how to do it. Here are practical tips for consumers who want to appeal a prior authorization decision.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-container\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/Ekirch_08.jpg);background-position: 50% 50%;background-size: cover;\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kaiser-health-news-common-single-post-selector is-style-overlay\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/ai-medicare-prior-authorization-trump-pilot-program-wiser\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"text-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h2 post-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAI Will Soon Have a Say in Approving or Denying Medicare Treatments\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-date\">September 25, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-excerpt\">A pilot program testing the use of artificial intelligence to expand prior authorization decisions in Medicare has providers, politicians, and researchers questioning Trump administration promises to curb an unpopular practice that has frustrated patients and their doctors.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-container\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/AI-prior-auth-thumb.jpg);background-position: 50% 50%;background-size: cover;\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading alignwide has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:54px\">More Stories from the Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kaiser-health-news-common-single-post-selector is-style-offset\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/montana-legislation-bills-prior-authorization-denials-delays-2025\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"text-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h2 post-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMontana Looks To Regulate Prior Authorization as Patients, Providers Decry Obstacles to Care\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-date\">February 13, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-excerpt\">Patients and providers say health insurers\u2019 preapproval requirements lead to delays and denials of needed medical treatments. Insurers argue that prior authorization keeps costs down.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-container\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/GettyImages-951636356-resized.jpg);background-position: 50% 50%;background-size: cover;\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kaiser-health-news-common-single-post-selector is-style-offset\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/california-penalties-health-insurers-deny-coverage-delay-treatment\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"text-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h2 post-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDeny and Delay? California Seeks Penalties for Insurers That Repeatedly Get It Wrong\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-date\">February 18, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-excerpt\">A state lawmaker wants health insurers to disclose denial rates and explain those denials as anger grows over rising costs and uncovered medical care. If the bill is signed into law, health experts say, it could be one of the boldest attempts in the nation to rein in denials.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-container\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/GettyImages-1434072256.jpg);background-position: 50% 50%;background-size: cover;\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kaiser-health-news-common-single-post-selector is-style-offset\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/5-takeaways-from-insurers-pledge-to-improve-prior-authorization\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"text-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"h2 post-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5 Takeaways From Health Insurers\u2019 New Pledge To Improve Prior Authorization\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-date\">June 24, 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"post-excerpt\">Dozens of health insurance companies pledged on Monday to improve prior authorization, a process often used to deny care. The announcement comes months after the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, whose death in December sparked widespread criticism about insurance denials.<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-container\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/HHS-Prior-Auth.jpg);background-position: 50% 50%;background-size: cover;\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center screen-reader-text\" style=\"font-size:52px\">More From the Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7xTIB-2mWMU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:33px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left has-medium-font-size\" style=\"margin-top:33px;margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">Share Your Prior Authorization Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you have an experience navigating prior authorization to get medical treatment that you&#8217;d like to share with us for our reporting? Click below to reach us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fdcfc74e wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100 is-style-icon-plane\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/share-your-prior-authorization-story-with-us\/\" style=\"background-color:#a41a23\">Tell Us Your Story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-pale-pink-background-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"color:#111111\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);font-size:54px\">Credits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-not-stacked-on-mobile is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-right\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Reporting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">Lauren Sausser<br>Darius Tahir<br>Erin McLaughlin, NBC News<br>Jason Kane, NBC News<br>Phil Galewitz<br>Christine Mai-Duc<br>Mike Dennison<br>Bram Sable-Smith<br>Sarah Jane Tribble<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-right\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Photography<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">Brianna Soukup<br>Ryan M. Kelly<br>Christopher Smith<br>Logan Cyrus<br>Desiree Rios<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Editing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sabriya Rice<br>Emmarie Huetteman<br>Samantha Young<br>Matt Volz<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Copy Editing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Terry Byrne<br>Gabe Brison-Trezise<br>J.J. Evans<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Illustration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Oona Zenda<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Featured Story More Stories from the Project More From the Project Share Your Prior Authorization Story Do you have an experience navigating prior authorization to get medical treatment that you&#8217;d like to share with us for our reporting? Click below to reach us. Credits Reporting Lauren SausserDarius TahirErin McLaughlin, NBC NewsJason Kane, NBC NewsPhil GalewitzChristine [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155412806,"featured_media":2121984,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"special-projects.php","meta":{"_cr_original_post":"2098958","_cr_replace_post_id":"","_cr_replacing_post_id":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"hide_from_search":false,"search_keywords":"","authoring_info":{"authors":[]},"kaiser_health_news_common_open_graph_description":"","kaiser_health_news_common_open_graph_image":0,"kaiser_health_news_common_open_graph_title":"","kaiser_health_news_common_color_theme":"dark-red","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"partners":[],"funder":[],"coauthors":[259825698],"class_list":["post-2121981","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Deadly Denials - KFF Health News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Designed by health insurance companies to prevent doctors from deploying expensive, ineffectual procedures, prior authorization \u2014 sometimes called pre-authorization or pre-certification \u2014 has become a confusing maze that denies or delays care, burdens physicians with paperwork, and perpetuates racial disparities. 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