Alen Nourian, MD, a spine surgeon at DISC Sports & Spine Center in Newport Beach, Calif., connected with Becker’s to answer, “What healthcare trend are you hoping disappears in 2024?”
Editor’s note: This response has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Dr. Alen Nourian: My wish for 2024 is the disappearance of prior authorization for routine spinal surgery such as lumbar microdiscectomy/laminectomy, cervical disc replacement, anterior cervical disc and fusion, lumbar disc replacement and lumbar interbody fusion. Prior authorization delays treatment for patients on a regular basis and jeopardizes patient care and safety. My office spends countless hours on the phone on authorizations that are either denied or not responded to by insurance frequently. Routine surgeries, as mentioned above, should not require prior authorization. This way, patient care won’t be jeopardized by an insurance company’s denial or lack of response.
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