UnitedHealth to expand rural payment acceleration pilot program

UnitedHealth Group announced plans to expand its Rural Payment Acceleration Pilot to reduce Medicare Advantage payment processing times for rural hospitals to less than 15 days, on average. The company commits to immediately extend accelerated payments to additional independent rural hospitals in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia and by fall 2026 plans to expand the program to approximately 1,500 rural hospitals and associated rural practitioners nationwide —including all critical access hospitals — across Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and fully insured commercial plans. UHG also promises to exempt rural providers from most medical prior authorization requirements and launch partnerships aimed at improving access to services in rural communities.