Medicare Advantage plans have increased their use of prior authorization and appear to be targeting certain types of care -- such as expensive post-acute hospital care -- for coverage denials, according to a report issued Thursday by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

Health systems are more likely to partner with Medicare Advantage plans when plans disclose reasonable claim denial processes, executives said.

As of Sept. 1, Medicare Advantage members who need PT, OT, or ST in a physician’s office will need approval from UnitedHealthcare.  This will create headaches not just for enrollees, but also the therapists filing more paperwork,

The vast majority of Medicare Advantage plans include coverage for dental care, according to experts, but vary in terms of which expenses are covered and the network of dentists a plan provides. “Some plans cover dental implants and bridges, while others don’t, for example,” says Topolski.