The systematic review "Prescription Drug Prior Authorization: Costs to Pharmacies and Physicians,” published in the June 2026 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), evaluates the widespread administrative burdens of insurance mandates, finding that completing a single prescription drug prior authorization can take up to 64 minutes and cost providers between $15 and $63. The researchers maintain that further research is needed to fully understand the cost of prior authorization to pharmacies and physician practices. BenefitsPro references these findings to underscore the expanding financial and time constraints placed on health care providers, using the study's precise data to advocate for systemic reforms or automation within employee benefits and pharmacy benefit manager frameworks.
The study "Trends in Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist Prescribing Patterns," published in the August 2025 issue of AJMC, tracks the massive surge in GLP-1 receptor agonist prescriptions from 2018 to 2023, showing that semaglutide use rose to a 60% share among individuals using the medications strictly for obesity and overweight management. U.S. Medicine references these commercial prescribing trends to contrast them with the military health system, where weight-loss medications remain severely underutilized despite the fact that nearly a quarter of active-duty US servicemembers now meet the definition for obesity.
