Outpatient radiology site-of-service reviews ending Dec. 1

Applies to UnitedHealthcare commercial plans, UnitedHealthcare Community Plans and UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans

To help simplify access to care and reduce complexity, beginning Dec. 1, 2026, site-of-service medical necessity review will no longer be required for radiology services when they’re performed in an outpatient hospital. 

These services will continue to require prior authorization of the procedure if the member’s benefit plan requires services to be medically necessary to be covered.

Impacted plans

• UnitedHealthcare commercial plans
• UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
• UnitedHealthcare Oxford Plans
• UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina

Services that no longer require site-of-service

Beginning Dec. 1, 2026, the following radiology procedures won't require site-of-service review:

• Computerized tomography scans
• Magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography