Denying and Delaying Indicated Care: The True Cost.

Cost in health care is not simply the dollar amount of a transaction. When a claim for indicated surgery is denied or delayed, savings are not guaranteed and patient outcomes likely worsen. Delays resulting from prior authorization create an administrative burden, and patients bear the burden of prolonged conservative care, lost workforce participation, and added psychological toll. Delaying or denying indicated surgery does not reduce cost; it simply redistributes it.