Approval questions that show where the wait for a yes goes
Ask patients how insurance approval went, from the paperwork and the wait to the decision and how it reached them. Each question below comes with when to ask it and what the answer tells you.
What prior authorization survey questions tell you
Prior authorization survey questions ask patients about the wait between booking care and getting the insurer's answer: how long it took, who chased it, whether they sent the same papers twice and how clearly the decision was explained. Patients can't always tell whether the clinic or the insurer is holding things up, and these answers show which part sits with you.
Ask once the decision has reached the patient, by email from your list of approvals or by a link in your own message, and pick four to six questions. Ask about the process and never the treatment being approved: Usertick doesn't sign business associate agreements, so keep the placeholder that asks for no medical details and ask patients to leave out policy numbers.
Each written answer is read as it arrives and given a category, a theme, a sentiment and an urgency. Add the insurer as a tag on the survey link, and the tag stays with each answer in workflows, Google Sheets and the API, so you can compare insurers over time.
- Questions
- 14
- Best asked
- Once the decision reaches the patient
- Industry
- Healthcare
- Where to find them
- From library in the Usertick survey editor, on every plan
The 14 insurance approvals questions, with when to ask each
Grouped by what they tell you. Use them as they are or change the wording.
The wait for approval
Start with how hard approval was and how long it took, the numbers to follow quarter by quarter.
- 01Customer effort
How easy was it to get approval before your treatment?
A customer effort score for getting approval, on a 7 point scale. Results shows the average and the share who found it easy, a headline for the whole process.
- 02Ruler
How many days did the approval take?
Days the approval took, on a ruler up to 90. Results shows the median and the middle half, a fair number even when a few approvals drag on for months.
- 03Yes / No
Was your first request approved?
A yes or no on the first request being approved. Select No in Results to filter the page and see how much more those patients had to do.
- 07Big scale
How much did waiting for approval worry you?
How much the wait worried the patient, from 1 to 10. Results shows the average and a column per step; high scores call for more updates during the wait.
Who did the work
These questions show how much chasing fell on patients, the part your team can take on.
- 04Multiple choice
Who chased the approval?
Who chased the approval, from the patient to nobody. Results shows each share in a donut; a large share of I did tells you patients are doing work your team could take on.
- 11Multiple choice
How much did you have to do yourself?
How much the patient had to do, from far too much to nothing at all. Results shows each share in a donut, a plain read on how much of the work falls on patients.
- 10Number
How many calls or emails did it take?
Calls or emails it took, as a number. Results shows the median and the middle half; a high median points to missing updates or a missing checklist.
- 09Yes / No
Did you have to send the same paperwork twice?
A yes or no on sending the same paperwork twice. Each Yes is wasted time for the patient and your team, and the share shows whether a checklist would help.
Updates and the decision
Ask how each step went and how the decision arrived, so you know which letters and updates to improve.
- 13Matrix
Rate each step of getting approval
Rates four steps, from knowing what was needed to the decision letter. The heat map shows which step pulls the process down, with an average for each row.
- 12Dropdown
How did the decision reach you?
How the decision reached the patient. Results shows each share in a donut; compare it with the clarity rating to see which route explains the decision best.
- 05Stars
How clearly was the decision explained?
A star rating for how clearly the decision was explained. Results shows the average and the share who rated 4 or higher; read low ratings with the decision letter row in the grid.
- 08Ranking
Rank what would have helped during the wait
Patients put five kinds of help in order, from a clear timeline to a checklist. Results shows the average place per item, which tells you what to add to your process first.
In patients' own words
End with the open questions, which give you the wording for a short guide to approvals.
- 06Text
What was confusing about the approval process?
The open question on what confused the patient. The placeholder asks for no medical details; filter by theme to see whether forms, timing or the letters come up most.
- 14Text
What should we tell people to expect?
The open question on what people should expect. Use the answers to write a short guide for patients, and keep the placeholder asking for no medical details.
Tips for asking about insurance approvals
Small choices that get honest, useful answers.
- 01
Ask after the decision
Send the survey once the decision has reached the patient, so the whole wait is behind them.
- 02
Keep the treatment out
Usertick doesn't sign business associate agreements, so ask about the process, never the treatment being approved. Ask patients to leave out policy numbers as well.
- 03
Tag the insurer on the link
Add the insurer as a tag on the survey link, and the tag stays with each answer in workflows, Google Sheets and the API.
- 04
Turn answers into a checklist
When patients say they sent papers twice or didn't know what was needed, write a checklist and send it with every request.
Add these questions to a survey
From the library to the first answers.
- 1
Open the library
In the Usertick survey editor, choose From library, filter by industry and topic, and add several questions at once.
- 2
Or paste your own list
Paste questions reads up to 10 questions from any text on Free, 100 on Starter and 200 on Pro and above, keeps your wording and picks an answer type for each.
- 3
Choose where it runs
Show the survey on your website, send it by email, share its link and QR code, or switch it to a conversation.
- 4
Read the answers
Results counts every score and choice, and Usertick reads each written answer and files it by topic, on every plan.
Templates and more questions about insurance approvals
Full surveys that ask about the same things, and neighboring topics in the library.
Templates
Browse all templatesFrequently asked questions
Once the decision reaches the patient. Usertick sends to a contact list now or on a date up to 30 days ahead, with no automatic send when an insurer decides, so send weekly batches from your list of approvals.
Four to six: the effort score, the days it took, who chased it, the steps grid and an open question.
Yes. Add the insurer as a tag on the survey link, and the tag is kept with each answer for workflows, Google Sheets and the API.
Leave it out. Usertick doesn't sign business associate agreements, so ask about the steps, the wait and the letters, never the care itself.
Yes. The question library comes with every plan, the free plan included, and the free plan covers 150 responses a month across your surveys.
Yes. Once a question is in your survey, reword it, change its options or its answer type, and add logic to skip it for some answers.
Yes. The library is translated into Usertick's built-in languages, and in any other language it shows in English for you to translate.
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