I don't "prior auth" anything, unless it is absolutely crucial for life. If patients have any questions, I tell them that I am not a marketing representative, and I'm not playing the game whereby the drug companies get to charge higher prices because I whine loudly enough.
If EVERYONE stopped this stupid game, the drug companies would have to lower their prices to a market value that insurance companies would pay, and if insurance companies would say up-front, "you can have anything you want, but there is a premium for certain products" instead of playing the "guess what deals I have cut" game, it would very quickly end.
I tell the pharmacy to give the patient whatever the insurance company wants them to have -- after all, since the omniscient, omnipotent insurance companies have all the money and all the talent and all the power, it is presumptuous of me to question their choices.
Saves me a huge amount of time and frustration, and I haven't had much pushback from patients. The ones that really feel like they have to have whatever the latest TV ad says they should have can go to a more compliant physician.
