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CMS Requirement for Preauthorization Metrics

Last updated: 3/31/2026

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) requires EmblemHealth to annually report aggregated preauthorization metrics on our website to comply with the CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization final rule (CMS-0057-F January 17, 2024).

This final rule emphasizes the need to improve the exchange of health information to achieve appropriate and necessary access to health records for patients, healthcare providers, and payers. This final rule also focuses on efforts to improve preauthorization processes through policies and technology, to help ensure that patients remain at the center of their own care.*

The metrics must include a list of all medical items and services (excluding drugs) that require preauthorization and data on the preauthorization requests for those items and services

(e.g., approvals, denials, etc.) over the previous calendar year.

Publicly reporting these metrics:

  • Promotes transparency and accountability.
  • Helps patients understand the preauthorization process.
  • Enables providers to evaluate payer performance.

Additionally, the metrics can be used to compare plans, programs, and payers.

 

*Centers for Medicaid and Medicare – CMS.gov.

Reporting Period: 2025

These are the medical items and services for which we require preauthorization (excluding drugs).

EmblemHealth Medicare H3330

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

67,575

73,246

92.3%

Request denied

5,671

73,246

  7.7%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

51

73,246

0.1%

Request approved only after appeal

353

73,246

0.5%

 

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests

(Response Due to Provider Within 72 Hours)

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

2,498

2,958

84.4%

Request denied

460

2,958

15.6%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

17

2,958

0.6%

Request approved only after appeal

20

2,958

0.7%

 

Time Between Receiving a Preauthorization Request and Sending a Decision

 

Mean (Average) Time

Median (Middle) Time

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 7 calendar days)

1.3 days

17.0 days

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 72 hours)

0.4 days

4.5 days

 

EmblemHealth Medicare H5991

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

4,309

5,009

86.0%

Request denied

700

5,009

14.0%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

4

5,009

0.1%

Request approved only after appeal

50

5,009

1.0%

 

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests

(Response Due to Provider Within 72 Hours)

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

126

154

81.8%

Request denied

28

154

18.2%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

4

154

2.6%

Request approved only after appeal

0

154

0.0%

 

Time Between Receiving a Preauthorization Request and Sending a Decision

 

Mean (Average) Time

Median (Middle) Time

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 7 calendar days)

1.9 days

15.0 days

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 72 hours)

0.6 days

3.0 days

 

EmblemHealth Medicare H5228

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

25

29

86.2%

Request denied

4

29

13.8%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

0

29

0.0%

Request approved only after appeal

0

29

0.0%

 

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests

(Response Due to Provider Within 72 Hours)

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

2

2

100.0%

Request denied

0

2

    0.0%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

0

2

0.00%

Request approved only after appeal

0

2

0.0%

 

Time Between Receiving a Preauthorization Request and Sending a Decision

 

Mean (Average) Time

Median (Middle) Time

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 7 calendar days)

2.1 days

5.5 days

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 72 hours)

0.0 days

0.0 days

 

EmblemHealth CHP

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

4,986

6,070

82.1%

Request denied

1,084

6,070

17.9%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

3

6,070

0.05%

Request approved only after appeal

53

6,070

0.9%

 

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests

(Response Due to Provider Within 72 Hours)

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

101

122

82.8%

Request denied

21

122

17.2%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

0

122

0.0%

Request approved only after appeal

1

122

0.8%

 

Time Between Receiving a Preauthorization Request and Sending a Decision

 

Mean (Average) Time

Median (Middle) Time

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 7 calendar days)

2.1 days

22.5 days

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 72 hours)

0.2 days

1.5 days

 

EmblemHealth Medicaid and HARP

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

89,358

115,230

77.5%

Request denied

25,872

115,230

22.5%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

196

115,230

0.2%

Request approved only after appeal

546

115,230

0.5%

 

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests

(Response Due to Provider Within 72 Hours)

 

How many times this

happened

Out of total requests

Percentage

Request approved

4,574

5,302

86.3%

Request denied

728

5,302

13.7%

Request approved only after time for review was extended

12

5,302

0.2%

Request approved only after appeal

21

5,302

0.4%

 

Time Between Receiving a Preauthorization Request and Sending a Decision

 

Mean (Average) Time

Median (Middle) Time

Standard (non-urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 7 calendar days)

2.1 days

57.0 days

Expedited (urgent) Preauthorization Requests (response due to provider within 72 hours)

0.5 days

11.0 days

 

 

JP 71357 3/2026

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