Bree Collaborative Considers Prior Authorization Standard Model

The Bree Collaborative, a Governor-appointed group of public and private partners working to improve health care quality, outcomes and affordability, is considering prior authorization as one of its focal points for the upcoming year.   While in the past Bree has focused on issues such as developing bundle payment models, opioids, and elective deliveries, the approach of using evidence research to drive a standard model could be applied to areas such as prior authorization.  The intent would be to develop a standard program that would then be adopted across payers.  Bree will be making a decision on its topics for the year in the next several months.  The case for including prior authorization will be presented by Dr. Robert Mecklenburg of Virginia Mason Medical Center.  WSHA and WSMA will be supporting this as an area of focus for Bree.  (Claudia Sanders, claudias@wsha.org)