The American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the Georgia Society of Ophthalmology are praising insurer Humana for rolling back a prior authorization requirement for cataract surgery for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in Georgia, according to an Aug. 3 press release sent to Becker's.
Last year, Humana started requiring pre-approval for all cataract and posterior capsulotomy surgeries, which caused treatment delays and denials, according to the release. Humana rolled back the decision on Aug. 1.
Over 4 million Americans undergo cataract surgery every year to improve their vision. Two years ago, insurer Aetna also implemented a prior authorization policy for cataract procedures but rescinded the requirement in July 2022 except for Medicare Advantage patients in Florida and Georgia.
"While we're encouraged by Humana's decision to rollback its policy, the fight to protect our patients is not over," Parag Parekh, MD, government relations chair for ASCRS, said in the release. "We will continue to pressure Aetna to retract its policy for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage in Florida and Georgia."