Curative Eliminates Prior Authorization for 86% of MRIs, Making Care Easier to Access While Keeping Costs in Focus

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Sep 22, 2026, 07:26 ET

First step in a broader effort to simplify the member experience removes administrative hurdles and preserves targeted oversight of excessive MRI prices.

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Curative Insurance Company (Curative) today announced it is eliminating prior authorization requirements for 86% of MRIs performed by providers and facilities that contract directly with Curative, the first in a series of actions to make healthcare easier for members to access while maintaining focused controls on costs.

Most MRIs are inexpensive. A few are not.

Seven in ten MRIs cost less than $750. Scans above $2,000 are 13% of the volume and almost half of the spend. That is the part of the picture we have kept under review. — Most MRIs are inexpensive. A few are not. Seven in ten MRIs cost less than $750. Scans above $2,000 are 13% of the volume and almost half of the spend. That is the part of the picture we have kept under review.

What an MRI costs

Most scans are inexpensive. The mean sits far above the typical scan, because a small number of scans cost thousand dollars each. — What an MRI costs Most scans are inexpensive. The mean sits far above the typical scan, because a small number of scans cost thousand dollars each.

The same scan, a very different price.

A brain MRI with and without contrast (CPT 70553) — same scan, same equipment, three different prices. — The same scan, a very different price. A brain MRI with and without contrast (CPT 70553) — same scan, same equipment, three different prices.

The change reflects a straightforward approach: remove unnecessary steps between members and their care, and concentrate oversight where claims data show a documented pattern of excessive pricing. Prior authorization and cost controls will remain in place for facilities with a documented practice of charging well above usual and customary prices for MRI services.

"Getting the care you need should be simple," said Fred Turner, CEO at Curative. "We're removing an extra step for most members who need an MRI and focusing our oversight on facilities with a documented history of excessive prices. Easier access and responsible cost management can—and should—work together."

Using data to focus oversight where it matters

Curative analyzed 7,334 MRIs for members in Texas, Florida and Georgia between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. The analysis found a median MRI cost of $445 and an average cost of $902.

The highest-cost scans accounted for a disproportionate share of spending: MRIs costing $2,000 or more represented just 13% of scans but 48% of total MRI spending. In this analysis, that difference is driven by 42 facilities charging thousands of dollars for the same services.

"When a physician determines that a patient needs an MRI, patients shouldn't have to go through an unnecessary medical-necessity review," said Dr. Brandon Charles, Chief Medical Officer at Curative. "For the vast majority of MRIs, we're removing that review entirely—not moving it somewhere else in the process—helping to make care simpler, more predictable, and more affordable."

By targeting those pricing practices, Curative can remove prior authorization requirements for most MRIs while retaining a focused tool to address unusually high costs. For members whose MRIs no longer require prior authorization, the change removes the need for advance approval from the health plan. For their providers, it means one fewer administrative step in arranging care.

This approach supports Curative's broader commitment to making healthcare simpler for members and keeping coverage affordable for the employers who provide it.

Building on an existing commitment to fewer barriers

As other insurers announce efforts to streamline prior authorization, Curative is building on an approach that already limits the services subject to these requirements.

According to Curative's internal comparison of nearly 700 CPT codes identified for removal from UnitedHealthcare's prior authorization requirements, Curative required prior authorization for fewer than one-third. For more than two-thirds of those codes, Curative members already had access without that additional approval step.

Curative continues to review its requirements to identify further opportunities to reduce friction, simplify the member experience and preserve oversight where it meaningfully supports cost management. The MRI change is the first step in this next phase of improvements.

The updated MRI policy takes effect immediately, for MRIs performed by applicable providers and facilities that contract directly with Curative. Members and providers can find details about the change and remaining requirements at https://curative.com/no-pa-for-mri.

About Curative

Curative is reimagining employer-sponsored health insurance with a focus on affordability, engagement and simplicity. By removing barriers to care and helping members navigate their health benefits, Curative makes it easier for people to access care and for employers to invest in a healthier workforce. Learn more at curative.com.

SOURCE Curative Services LLC