CommercialPrior AuthMedium impact
Updates to the UnitedHealthcare national Gold Card program
UnitedHealthcare·Prior authorization updates
Effective date
Jan 1, 2026
We identified it
Feb 1, 2026
Summary
UnitedHealthcare updated their national Gold Card code list effective January 1, 2026, removing codes that are not utilized by contracted provider groups. The Gold Card program provides streamlined prior authorization for providers who consistently follow evidence-based care guidelines.
Action Required
Immediately: Billing team should review the updated Gold Card code list at the provided URL to identify which codes were removed from the program. Verify that your practice's commonly billed codes are still included in the Gold Card program. If previously Gold Card-eligible codes were removed, you may now need to obtain prior authorization for those services.