UnitedHealthcare, the largest U.S. health insurer, says it will reduce prior authorization requirements for a portion of medical care. The company plans to eliminate approval requirements for about 30% of treatments and services by the end of 2026, according to reporting from CBS News and The Hill. The insurer’s changes include removing prior approval for certain select outpatient surgeries and other specified procedures. Prior authorization is a process in which insurers require clinicians to obtain insurer approval before providing certain services, often to determine whether a treatment meets coverage criteria. Both outlets describe the policy as a broad adjustment affecting a sizable share of services rather than a single procedure category. The announcements focus on which treatments will no longer require pre-approval under UnitedHealthcare’s updated rules, but they do not indicate that the company is eliminating prior authorization entirely. The change is framed as part of a broader effort to alter how approvals are handled across a significant segment of its covered services.