UnitedHealthcare Eliminates Most Medical Prior Authorizations, Accelerates Payments for Key Rural Care Hospitals and Providers Nationwide

UnitedHealth Group Newsroom

Apr 20, 2026

A private insurance company has announced a pilot program that exempts many rural providers from most prior authorization requirements, increases payment speeds, and introduces a hub-and-spoke model of care to connect rural communities with regional expertise. The program, initially available in 4 states, is expanding to an additional 5 states now.

Health insurance · Healthcare business and finance · Healthcare facilities · Networking and collaboration · Reimbursement and payment models