Prior Authorization Survey for MSSNY Members

Prior authorizations frequently impose overwhelming burdens that can cause unnecessary delays in needed care for patients. Delay in authorization of prescriptions, tests or procedures can cause needless anxiety for patients already stressed by uncertainty regarding their condition, particularly those with chronic conditions who have complex medical needs, and their health depends on following strict treatment plans.

MSSNY is advocating for legislation to address issues related to prior authorization and needs your input. Please take a moment to complete the following survey to help us gauge the impact that prior authorizations are having on patients and physician practices in New York State.

Physician Experience With Prior Authorization

Question Title

* 1. Please provide your best estimate of the number of prior authorizations for prescriptions and/or medical services completed by you and/or your staff for your patients in the last week. *Estimate between 0-500.

Prescription medications.

Medical services (e.g., procedures, labs, durable medical equipment, imaging, etc.)

Total

Question Title

* 2. Of all the prior authorizations you and your staff completed in the last week, please share your best estimate of the number of hours spent on processing PA requests.

Yourself.
*Estimate range of 0-168 hours.

Your staff.
*Estimate range of 0-500 hours.

Total

Question Title

* 3. How often are you asked to repeat prior authorizations already approved?

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Question Title

* 4. If you must repeat prior authorizations, at what frequency?

Less than 3 months.

3-6 months.

6-9 months.

9-12 months.

Question Title

* 5. How has the number of prior authorizations required for medical services changed over the last five years? *Please choose one.

Increased significantly

Increased somewhat

No change

Decreased somewhat

Decreased significantly

Question Title

* 6. How has the number of prior authorizations required for prescription medications changed over the last five years? *Please choose one.

Increased significantly

Increased somewhat

No change

Decreased somewhat

Decreased significantly

Question Title

* 7. Do you have staff members in your practice who work exclusively on PA?

Yes

Question Title

* 8. Do any of the health plans with which you contract offer programs that exempt physicians from prior authorization requirements? *These exemptions can be based on performance such as “Gold Card” programs.

Yes

Don’t know or not sure.

Question Title

* 9. Please indicate how often you and/or your staff use each of the following methods to complete prior authorizations for prescription medications.

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Often	Always	Don't Know
Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system.	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Never	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Rarely	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Sometimes	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Often	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Always	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Don't Know
Health plan portal/website.	Health plan portal/website. Never	Health plan portal/website. Rarely	Health plan portal/website. Sometimes	Health plan portal/website. Often	Health plan portal/website. Always	Health plan portal/website. Don't Know
Fax	Fax Never	Fax Rarely	Fax Sometimes	Fax Often	Fax Always	Fax Don't Know
Phone	Phone Never	Phone Rarely	Phone Sometimes	Phone Often	Phone Always	Phone Don't Know
Email	Email Never	Email Rarely	Email Sometimes	Email Often	Email Always	Email Don't Know
US Mail	US Mail Never	US Mail Rarely	US Mail Sometimes	US Mail Often	US Mail Always	US Mail Don't Know

Question Title

* 10. Please indicate how often you and/or your staff use each of the following methods to complete prior authorizations for medical services.

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Often	Always	Don't Know
Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system.	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Never	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Rarely	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Sometimes	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Often	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Always	Electronic health record/electronic prescribing system. Don't Know
Health plan portal/website.	Health plan portal/website. Never	Health plan portal/website. Rarely	Health plan portal/website. Sometimes	Health plan portal/website. Often	Health plan portal/website. Always	Health plan portal/website. Don't Know
Fax	Fax Never	Fax Rarely	Fax Sometimes	Fax Often	Fax Always	Fax Don't Know
Phone	Phone Never	Phone Rarely	Phone Sometimes	Phone Often	Phone Always	Phone Don't Know
Email	Email Never	Email Rarely	Email Sometimes	Email Often	Email Always	Email Don't Know
US Mail	US Mail Never	US Mail Rarely	US Mail Sometimes	US Mail Often	US Mail Always	US Mail Don't Know

Question Title

* 11. For those patients whose treatment requires prior authorization, how often does this process delay necessary care and/or cause patients to abandon treatment?

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

Don’t know.

Question Title

* 12. In your experience, has the prior authorization process led to a serious adverse event (e.g., death, hospitalization, disability/permanent bodily damage, or other life-threatening event) for a patient in your care?

Yes

Don’t know

Please Tell Us About Yourself & Your Practice

Question Title

* 13. Which of the following options best describes you?

Practicing physician

Retired physician

Resident or fellow

Medical student

Other (Please be specific.)

Question Title

* 14. How many hours of direct patient care do you provide during a typical week of practice? *Please choose only one.

0-20 hours.

21-40 hours.

41-60 hours.

61-80 hours.

81-100 hours.

Don’t know.

Question Title

* 15. Including yourself, how many physicians are in your practice?

1-5

6-10

11-15

16-20

Greater than 20.

Question Title

* 16. Which of the following best describes your main practice?

Solo practice

Single-specialty group practice

Multi-specialty group practice

Hospital/health system

Ambulatory surgical center

Urgent care facility

Other (Please be specific.)

Question Title

* 17. Please select your primary medical specialty from the following list.

Allergy & Immunology

Anesthesiology

Cardiology

Dermatology

Emergency Medicine

Family or General Practice

Gastroenterology

Hematology & Oncology

Internal Medicine

Neurology

Obstetrics/Gynecology

Ophthalmology

Pediatrics

Plastic Surgery

Psychiatry

Radiology

Rheumatology

Surgery

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 18. What part of the state are you located?

New York City

Long Island

Westchester

Hudson Valley

Capital District

Central NY

Western NY

Upstate/Adirondacks

Question Title

* 19. Are you willing to share your experience with state and federal policymakers, and members of the media? If so, please share your name, email and phone number.

Prior Authorization Survey for MSSNY Members

Question Title

* 1. Please provide your best estimate of the number of prior authorizations for prescriptions and/or medical services completed by you and/or your staff for your patients in the last week. *Estimate between 0-500.

Question Title

* 2. Of all the prior authorizations you and your staff completed in the last week, please share your best estimate of the number of hours spent on processing PA requests.

Question Title

* 3. How often are you asked to repeat prior authorizations already approved?

Question Title

* 4. If you must repeat prior authorizations, at what frequency?

Question Title

* 5. How has the number of prior authorizations required for medical services changed over the last five years? *Please choose one.

Question Title

* 6. How has the number of prior authorizations required for prescription medications changed over the last five years? *Please choose one.

Question Title

* 7. Do you have staff members in your practice who work exclusively on PA?

Question Title

* 8. Do any of the health plans with which you contract offer programs that exempt physicians from prior authorization requirements? *These exemptions can be based on performance such as “Gold Card” programs.

Question Title

* 9. Please indicate how often you and/or your staff use each of the following methods to complete prior authorizations for prescription medications.

Question Title

* 10. Please indicate how often you and/or your staff use each of the following methods to complete prior authorizations for medical services.

Question Title

* 11. For those patients whose treatment requires prior authorization, how often does this process delay necessary care and/or cause patients to abandon treatment?

Question Title

* 12. In your experience, has the prior authorization process led to a serious adverse event (e.g., death, hospitalization, disability/permanent bodily damage, or other life-threatening event) for a patient in your care?

Question Title

* 13. Which of the following options best describes you?

Question Title

* 14. How many hours of direct patient care do you provide during a typical week of practice? *Please choose only one.

Question Title

* 15. Including yourself, how many physicians are in your practice?

Question Title

* 16. Which of the following best describes your main practice?

Question Title

* 17. Please select your primary medical specialty from the following list.

Question Title

* 18. What part of the state are you located?

Question Title

* 19. Are you willing to share your experience with state and federal policymakers, and members of the media? If so, please share your name, email and phone number.

Question Title

* 20. If you have additional comments and feedback, please share.