Massachusetts residents who need cancer screenings, diabetes medications and other essential medical treatments will soon face shorter waits for care, Gov. Maura Healey said Thursday.
State health officials are updating regulations to eliminate the advance approvals that insurance companies often require for common tests and treatments. These are known as prior authorizations — when doctors must obtain a sign-off before their patient can receive care.
Administration officials said the changes would eliminate thousands of these authorizations every year, along with the paperwork and delays they often entail…