UnitedHealth’s unit reduces prescription reauthorization requirements by up to 25%

(Reuters) -UnitedHealth Group said on Wednesday its pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, would eliminate up to 25% of the annual reauthorization requirements for certain drugs, in an effort to reduce the paperwork burden for patients.

The shift will remove the requirements for more than 10% of drugs covered by Optum Rx.

It will first focus on about 80 drugs, and Optum Rx will work with physicians and pharmacists to expand the list over time.

Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate drug costs with pharmacies and drug manufacturers and help build drug coverage lists for health plans, mostly on behalf of employers and the government. They directly reimburse pharmacies for prescription drugs included under their agreed terms.

(Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)