About The Index

The Prior Auth Index

The Prior Auth Index is an independent research and analysis platform examining prior authorization reporting, payer transparency, and the administrative work behind authorization. Founded by Ashley Murray, the platform brings together public reporting data, original analysis, and practical resources to support a clearer understanding of prior authorization operations.

Reporting context

CMS-0057-F introduced public reporting requirements for prior authorization metrics across certain health plans. These disclosures provide new visibility into approval rates, denial rates, appeal outcomes, and decision timeframes, while also raising important questions about how reporting is structured and interpreted.

Publication alone does not guarantee that reporting is complete, accessible, or comparable. Payer disclosures vary in format, detail, and usability. The Index examines these differences alongside the reported metrics, preserving source context and distinguishing available data from reporting gaps.

Research and resources

Payer approval, denial, appeal, and decision-time metrics

Public reporting availability and source documentation

Reporting gaps, comparability, and disclosure quality

Original research and analysis of authorization operations

The Prior Auth Operating View Framework

Practical resources for measuring administrative workload

From reporting to operational insight

Public reporting provides an important starting point, but approval and denial rates do not fully describe the work required to obtain an authorization or resolve a failure. Understanding prior authorization operations requires looking beyond reported outcomes.

The Prior Auth Operating View Framework introduces three dimensions for examining that work: Authorization Workload, Failure Origin, and Resolution Burden. Accompanying resources include a 30-day visibility pilot guide and tracking workbook designed to support practical operational measurement.

The framework is an emerging approach developed through independent research, not an industry-validated measurement standard. The Prior Auth Index continues to develop its research, analysis, and resources as new evidence and operational questions emerge.

The Prior Auth Report

Research beyond the numbers

The Prior Auth Report brings together original analysis, research updates, and practical perspectives on prior authorization reporting and operations.