UnitedHealthcare announced on Wednesday that it will reduce the use of its prior authorization process by 20% for some non-urgent surgeries and procedures.

The reductions will begin in the third quarter and continue through the rest of the year for most commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid businesses. Cigna and Aetna also are making moves to revamp their prior authorization processes, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

"Prior authorizations help ensure member safety and lower the total cost of care, but we understand they can be a pain point for providers and members," said Dr. Anne Docimo, chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare. "We need to continue to make sure the system works better for everyone, and we will continue to evaluate prior authorization codes and look for opportunities to limit or remove them while improving our systems and infrastructure. We hope other health plans will make similar changes."