Set up Prior Authorization Notifications to Keep Patients Informed
Explore how patient notifications on prior authorization determinations can help healthcare teams improve efficiency while keeping patients in the loop.
Traditionally, the process of obtaining prior authorization for medications has involved numerous phone calls and faxes between providers, pharmacies and insurance companies. The time-consuming manual prior auth process creates administrative inefficiencies for healthcare providers while potentially leading to delays in medication access for patients.
With our electronic prior authorization (ePA) solution, CoverMyMeds has led the way in automating the prior authorization process, helping increase efficiency for providers. CoverMyMeds' network includes more than 950,000 providers, 50,000+ pharmacies and most health plans and pharmacy benefit managers.
Prior auth determination patient notifications are an additional feature of our ePA solution that aims to further simplify the prior auth process. When creating a prior auth request on certain medications,* healthcare teams can sign up consenting patients to receive automatic updates regarding their prior auth determinations via text message and email. This increased transparency enhances communication between patients, healthcare providers and pharmacies, while reducing the need for back-and-forth phone calls and faxes.
Empower your patients with timely prior auth determination updates
According to a survey conducted by CoverMyMeds, 94% of patients appreciated knowing about their prior authorization determinations. This research highlights the positive impact notifications can have on patient satisfaction.
Providing timely information about prior auth determinations can also lead to improved medication access and adherence. Our research shows that patients who receive notifications from CoverMyMeds pick up their prescription 2.2 days faster, on average, after receiving an approved prior auth. We also found that notifications have led to a 2% increase on average in the number of engaged patients picking up medication after a prior auth approval.
The benefits of prior auth notifications for patients
- Automated Updates: Enhanced communication can foster greater transparency and reduce the need for repeated phone calls.
- Improved Medication Access: Timely notifications on prior auth determinations can lead to quicker access to necessary medications.
Are you a patient with questions about notifications from CoverMyMeds? If you’ve received notifications about your prior authorization status from CoverMyMeds (or if you want to) read our frequently asked questions page to learn more.
The benefits of prior auth notifications for healthcare providers
Providing patients insight into the status of their medication prior authorization through online or mobile resources can help to promote efficient care while reducing uncertainty and avoidable phone calls.
- In-workflow solution: The service works seamlessly in existing provider workflows,* allowing for efficient management of prior auth requests without disrupting daily operations.
- Simplified administration: By automating the notification process, notifications minimize the need for providers to make multiple phone calls to update patients on their prior auth status.
- Enhanced patient experience: Keeping patients informed and reducing the uncertainty associated with prior auth requests can help to improve the overall patient experience.
Signing up patients for notifications is a simple process
Signing patients up for prior auth notifications from CoverMyMeds is straightforward and works seamlessly with existing CoverMyMeds systems and provider workflows. Once you have a CoverMyMeds account, there’s no cost to use the patient notification function when available.* Here’s how it works:
- Sign up for CoverMyMeds: Care team members can create an account free of cost on the CoverMyMeds portal if they do not already have one (or login). (For help, read our “Quick Guide to CoverMyMeds Prior Authorization Requests.”)
- Initiate a prior auth request: Start a prior auth request through the CoverMyMeds portal or respond to a pharmacy-initiated request.
- Obtain patient’s authorization: During the prior auth request process, obtain patient consent to receive notifications.
- Enter patient contact information: The care team member enters the patient’s contact information, specifying whether the patient prefers to receive updates via text message or email.
- Submit the prior auth request: Once the prior auth request is submitted to the insurance plan, CoverMyMeds will notify both the patient and the provider’s office when the determination is made.
Read the FAQ for more information on how patient notifications with CoverMyMeds work.
Patients obtain therapy up to 2.2 days faster when signed up for notifications from CoverMyMeds.
CoverMyMeds Offers More Than Prior Auth
Beyond prior authorization hurdles, patients often face a variety of barriers when trying to access essential medications. Through our comprehensive suite of solutions and human support, we help providers, payers, pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies break down medication access and affordability barriers to create better health outcomes. Ready to get started using CoverMyMeds for prior authorizations?
** While the patient notifications function is accessed in the same workflow used to create electronic prior auths with CoverMyMeds, this function is not integrated with electronic healthcare record (EHR) systems. It is also important to note that notifications are not available for every prior auth, so you may not have the option to sign patients up for notifications when submitting ePAs for certain medications.