The Trump administration announced Monday that roughly 75% of the nation’s health insurers have voluntarily agreed to a new set of commitments aimed at reducing delays in patient care caused by prior-authorization requirements, as reported by The New York Post.

The announcement was made by Dr. Mehmet Oz, Director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a press conference in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Mehmet Oz with Michele and Howard Kessler at the 16th Annual Policemen’s and Firefighters’ Ball March 19, 2022 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach.

The move represents a significant shift in how insurers handle pre-approvals for medical procedures and services, which have long been criticized by patients and providers for slowing down access to treatment.

Trump's Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

“This is not a mandate. It’s not a bill, a rule. This is not legislated. This is an opportunity for industry to show itself,” Oz said.

“But by the fact that three-quarters of the patients in the country are already covered by participants in this pledge, it’s a good start and the response has been overwhelming.”

The voluntary commitments include major health insurance companies such as United Healthcare, Cigna, Humana, Aetna, and Blue Cross & Blue Shield.

The insurers agreed to adopt standardized processes to speed up and simplify prior-authorization, including electronic submissions and real-time approvals.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

According to Oz, doctors currently spend an average of 12 hours per week handling roughly 40 prior-authorization requests—time that could be spent delivering patient care.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaks at a campaign rally at Brazos Hall Monday May 13, 2024.

“It frustrates doctors. It sometimes results in care that is significantly delayed. It erodes public trust in the healthcare system,” he said.

Under the new framework, insurers will aim to process at least 80% of electronic prior-authorization requests in real time by Jan. 1, 2027.

Another key change, set to begin Jan. 1, 2026, will require insurance plans to reduce the volume of prior-authorization usage and honor existing approvals for at least 90 days when patients switch insurers mid-treatment.

Transparency is another focus of the pledge. Participating insurers must provide clear explanations for prior-authorization decisions and offer guidance on how to appeal denials.

Oz described the agreement as a moment of unity between competitors. “They have agreed to sheathe their swords to be meek for a while, to come up with a better solution to a problem that plagues us all,” he said.

RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz just announced they’re working with major insurance companies to eliminate and streamline preauthorizations.

RFK shared a story from a physician friend:

“A patient from New Jersey suffering from severe heart failure was transferred to New York Presbyterian… pic.twitter.com/xdQ97Sa4Xa

— End Tribalism in Politics (@EndTribalism) June 23, 2025

The new industry-led effort comes amid continued concerns that bureaucratic obstacles in healthcare disproportionately impact patients, delaying necessary treatments and adding to administrative burdens for providers.

The administration’s goal is to have the full system in place and operational by 2027.

Watch the full video:

Connect with Vetted Off-Duty Cops to Instantly Fulfill Your Security Needs

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.