In June 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new industry-wide initiative to streamline prior authorization processes. Led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, the roundtable brought together executives from major payers to formalize a set of voluntary commitments aimed at improving access to care and reducing administrative burden.

The effort is intended to advance value-based care goals by promoting interoperability, increasing process transparency, and reducing avoidable delays that contribute to inefficiencies and unnecessary costs across the healthcare continuum.