Reports Summarize Cancer Findings from University of Pittsburgh (Patient Perspectives on Prior Authorization for Cancer Care): Cancer

2025 OCT 15 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Cancer Daily -- New research on Cancer is the subject of a report. According to news originating from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Health insurance companies may require prior authorization at any stage in the cancer care continuum, leading to the potential for denials and/or delays of diagnosis, treatment, or survivorship care. Patient experiences with prior authorization are largely unexplored, with most surveys focused on clinicians.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the University of Pittsburgh, “To characterize prior authorization for cancer care from the perspective of patients with cancer, using their own words. This qualitative study provided a secondary thematic analysis of an online survey created in collaboration with patient advocates. Data were collected from July to October 2022. The survey was offered through a secure online platform. Participants included a convenience sample of patients with cancer, who self-reported being older than 18 years and having previous experience with prior authorization, recruited from social media, email lists, and word of mouth. Data were coded in May 2023, with initial themes constructed in September 2023. Responses to the open-ended prompt were coded inductively by trained members of the research team, and themes were developed by the study team through discussion. Of 178 respondents in the parent quantitative survey, 89 (50%) provided free-text responses. Most respondents to the open-ended question were women (79 [89%]) and aged 18 to 39 (35 [39%]) or 40 to 54 (31 [35%]). Codes from responses related to patient experiences, views of the process, and perception of the role of the health care team. Four interconnected themes were created from the codes: blinded navigation, intersecting burdens, interference with care, and a broken system. In this qualitative secondary analysis of patient experiences with prior authorization, themes centered on how, from the patient perspective, prior authorization was a confusing process that added to the administrative, psychosocial, and financial burdens of cancer care. Intersecting burdens amplified the negative impact of prior authorization on patients. Patients voiced concerns that highlighted the broken, profit-driven nature of the United States health care system.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Advocacy efforts are needed to promote reform to ensure patients receive timely access to recommended care, and policy considerations toward this reform must center the patient experience.”

For more information on this research see: Patient Perspectives on Prior Authorization for Cancer Care. JAMA Network Open, 2025;8(7). JAMA Network Open can be contacted at: Amer Medical Assoc, 330 N Wabash Ave, Ste 39300, Chicago, IL 60611-5885, USA.

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from Sonia Persaud, University of Pittsburgh, Dept. of Health Policy and Management, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Additional authors for this research include Bridgette Thom, Lauren V. Ghazal and Fumiko Chino.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.23807. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

The publisher’s contact information for the journal JAMA Network Open is: Amer Medical Assoc, 330 N Wabash Ave, Ste 39300, Chicago, IL 60611-5885, USA.

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