The Optum 2024 Revenue Cycle Denials Index
The Optum 2024 Revenue Cycle Denials Index analyzes medical claim denial trends and offers strategies to reduce denial rates. Key insights include:
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The 2023 denial rate was 12%, up from 10% in 2020 and 9% in 2016, with the Pacific (16%) and Southern Plains (12.5%) regions having the highest rates.
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Registration and eligibility issues cause 24% of denials, with half avoidable but nonrecoverable. Missing/invalid claim data (16%) and authorization/precertification (13%) are other major drivers.
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Staffing challenges, high claim volumes, and tech limitations keep denial rates high. Providers use of data analytics, automation and partnerships assist with the reduction of denials.
Read the full report for more.
The Optum 2024 Revenue Cycle Denials Index is an internal analysis of approximately 124 million hospital claim remits valued at $500 billion in total charges across more than 1,400 U.S. hospitals.