Some services require prior authorization. This means a provider must request approval before the service can be covered. Partners reviews these requests for care to make sure services are needed and covered.
You can use our Prior Authorization Lookup Tool to check if a service needs approval.
This page shows how often requests are approved or denied and how long decisions take.
The information below is based on data from 2025 and is updated each year. You can also view a printable version of the report.
Prior Authorization Approval and Denial Rates
Standard Requests
Most standard requests are approved. A small number are denied.
In 2025, 96% of standard requests were approved.
Urgent Requests
Urgent requests are reviewed quickly and are almost always approved.
In 2025, 99% of urgent requests were approved.
Appealed Requests
Some requests that had been denied are approved after a second review.
In 2025, 18% of appealed requests were approved after appeal.
Extended Requests: In 2025, only one request needed extra time for review. It was not approved.
What This Means for Members
Most requests are approved
Decisions are made quickly
Urgent needs are handled faster
You can appeal a denial
How Long Requests Take
Most decisions are made quickly. Urgent requests are handled faster. Standard requests are measured in days, while urgent requests are measured in hours.
Standard Requests
In 2025, the average standard request took 3 days.
Urgent Requests
In 2025, the average urgent request took 7 hours.