A requirement that the health care plan must approve, in advance, certain medical procedures. Precertification means the procedure is approved as medically necessary, not approved for payment.

Confirmation by a third-party payer of a patient's eligibility for coverage under a dental benefit program. See preauthorization, predetermination.

Getting approval from the health plan before a routine hospital stay or outpatient procedure. In precertification, Cigna reviews medical criteria to determine coverage.

The process of notification and approval of elective inpatient admission and identified outpatient services before the service is rendered. Often involves appropriateness review against criteria and assignment of length of stay. Failure to obtain precertification often results in a financial penalty to either the provider or the subscriber. Also kn [..]

The required authorization to deliver healthcare service that is issued before any service is preformed.