Nev. doctors get universal authorization form

The state's physicians can access and print a standardized form directly from the Web.

By Julie A. Jacob, AMNews staff. Dec. 17, 2001.

Filling out prior authorization forms has become easier for physicians in Nevada.

The Nevada State Medical Assn., the Nevada Assn. of Health Plans and the Nevada Governor's Office of Consumer Health Assistance have collaborated to create a universal prior authorization form for all health plans.

Doctors or their staff can print the form, which became available earlier this year, directly from the Office of Consumer Health Assistance's Web site (http://www.govcha.state.nv.us/).

The three groups developed the form because many doctors were telling the medical society that they were frustrated with having to fill out a different form for every health plan, said Lawrence Matheis, the state medical society's executive director.

So the medical society decided to contact the Office of Consumer Health Assistance for suggestions on how to remedy the problem, Matheis said.

Staff at the office suggested that the medical society, health plan association and the office work together to develop a standard prior authorization form, said Valerie Rosalin, the office's director.

Representatives from about 20 groups -- health plans, the medical society, and self-insured employers and unions -- worked together for several months to develop the form, she said. [...]