Administrative simplification

Reduce cost and improve efficiency

The AAFP advocates for legislation and regulatory policy that eases administrative complexity and puts patients ahead of paperwork.

The Academy is determined to help family physicians lower administrative roadblocks by identifying and eliminating regulations and processes that add cost while undermining the efficient delivery of high-quality care.

Did you know?

Studies show providers suffer costs of $11 per manual prior authorization and $4 per electronic prior authorization, which amounted to a total of $528 million in prior authorization costs for providers in 2019. Further, prior authorization interactions with insurers cost practices $82,975 per physician annually.

Support for industry-wide administrative efficiency

The AAFP is a member of the Regulatory Relief Coalition (RRC), a group comprised of physician organizations advocating for regulatory burden reduction in the Medicare program, most recently in reforming the use of prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans.

The AAFP has expressed its support for the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3173), which would implement an electronic prior authorization system, improve transparency regarding prior authorization policies and hold plans accountable for timely responses to prior authorization requests.

Advocacy efforts and legislative priorities for simplification

The Academy has pushed for expedited implementation of administrative simplification provisions in federal and state regulations that will enhance meaningful electronic communications between health plans, financial institutions and family physician practices.

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Legislation and policy changes to reduce administrative complexity

It also has lobbied to eliminate aspects of the Medicare and Medicaid programs that are unnecessary, obsolete or excessively burdensome for health care providers and beneficiaries, especially:

  • provisions that preclude Medicare and Medicaid re-enrollment for physicians who have not responded in a timely manner to CMS revalidation queries; and

  • the Medicare rule that automatically deactivates a physician who has not submitted a Medicare claim for 12 consecutive months.

Recent AAFP communications

Joint communications with other organizations

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