CoverMyMeds competitors: 7 prescription access and medication prior authorization platforms worth comparing. CoverMyMeds is still one of the best-known choices for electronic prior authorization, but it is not the only serious option. If prior authorization is slowing down prescribing, renewals, specialty pharmacy starts, or patient access work, compare tools by payer reach, EHR fit, pharmacy connections, support quality, and status visibility. The pain is real: 94% of physicians said prior authorization caused care delays in an AMA survey [source: AMA]. TLDR: The strongest CoverMyMeds competitors to compare are Surescripts, Veradigm, DrFirst, CenterX, Rhyme, AssistRx, and Waystar. A midsize clinic processing 1,200 medication PAs per month might save dozens of staff hours if status checks, benefit details, and follow-up tasks move into one workflow. For example, if 20% of requests need extra documentation, better automation can stop those cases from sitting untouched for two days. The right pick depends less on brand name and more on how well the platform fits your EHR, payer mix, and specialty medication volume. 1. Surescripts electronic prior authorization. Surescripts is a major name in e-prescribing and medication data exchange. Its electronic prior authorization tools are often attractive for health systems that already use Surescripts-connected prescribing systems. * Best for: clinics and health systems that want PA inside prescribing workflows. * Strengths: strong network reach, real-time medication information, broad EHR connections. * Watch out for: setup can depend heavily on your EHR vendor and payer connections. The catch is that "connected" does not always mean "easy." Some teams still find themselves checking portals when a payer response is partial or unclear. 2. Veradigm ePrescribe and ePA. Veradigm, formerly tied closely to Allscripts, offers medication management and electronic prior authorization features that can work well for practices already using its clinical systems. * Best for: practices using Veradigm products or looking for tied-in prescribing tools. * Strengths: prescribing, medication history, and PA functions can sit closer together. * Watch out for: it may not feel as flexible if your organization uses several disconnected systems. Veradigm is worth comparing when your biggest issue is not just PA submission, but the messy handoff between prescribing, charting, and pharmacy communication. 3. DrFirst. DrFirst is known for e-prescribing, medication history, price transparency, and patient access tools. Its systems can help prescribers see more useful medication data before a prescription creates a PA problem. * Best for: provider groups that want prescribing support plus access information. * Strengths: medication history, benefit checks, EHR integrations, prescribing tools. * Watch out for: reporting depth and workflow fit should be tested before signing. It drives teams crazy when a system tells them a PA is needed only after the patient reaches the pharmacy counter. DrFirst can help reduce that kind of late surprise, depending on the integration. 4. CenterX. CenterX focuses on electronic prior authorization and medication access. It is often used through EHR and prescribing system integrations rather than as a stand-alone tool only. * Best for: organizations that need ePA embedded in existing clinical workflows. * Strengths: medication-specific PA support, EHR connections, pharmacy benefit data. * Watch out for: the user experience can vary based on how it is implemented. CenterX is a practical option for teams that want fewer manual payer forms and fewer phone calls. Ask for a live demo using your common drugs and plans. 5. Rhyme. Rhyme is built around prior authorization automation, with a strong focus on reducing administrative work for providers and specialty medication teams. * Best for: specialty practices, infusion groups, and teams with high-cost medications. * Strengths: task tracking, automation, status visibility, support for complex authorizations. * Watch out for: fit depends on whether your key payers and service lines are well supported. Rhyme is worth a close look if your staff spends too much time chasing missing documents, resubmitting requests, and calling plans for updates. 6. AssistRx. AssistRx is a strong competitor for specialty medication access. It supports ePA, patient services, hub workflows, affordability programs, and therapy initiation. * Best for: life sciences companies, specialty pharmacies, and providers handling complex drug starts. * Strengths: specialty drug support, patient enrollment, hub services, affordability connections. * Watch out for: may be more than a basic primary care clinic needs. For oncology, rheumatology, dermatology, neurology, and rare disease medications, AssistRx can be more relevant than a simple PA submission tool. 7. Waystar prior authorization. Waystar is widely known for revenue cycle tools, but its prior authorization features can matter for groups that want authorization work tied to financial clearance and billing operations. * Best for: hospitals, health systems, and larger provider groups. * Strengths: authorization tracking, payer connectivity, revenue cycle alignment. * Watch out for: medication-specific workflows may require careful review. Waystar may be a better fit when medication access is only one part of a broader authorization problem across procedures, imaging, therapies, and services. How to compare these platforms. Do not compare platforms by feature lists alone. Ask harder questions. Can staff submit a PA in under two minutes? Can they see status without opening three payer portals? Does the system show missing information clearly? Can reports show approval rates, denial reasons, and turnaround time? For smaller practices, Surescripts, DrFirst, Veradigm, or CenterX may be enough. For specialty medication teams, Rhyme or AssistRx may offer stronger support. For large health systems, Waystar may make sense if prior authorization is tied to revenue cycle cleanup. Bottom line: CoverMyMeds remains a serious option, but buyers should compare it against platforms that match their real workflow. The best system reduces rework, cuts portal hopping, and gives staff clear next steps. If a demo cannot prove that with your actual payer mix and top medications, keep comparing.

DrFirst rises to 'Very High' rating in 2nd year on TIME World's Top HealthTech Companies list. October 23, 2026 Recognition reflects company momentum in helping providers overcome medication access barriers, including technology that cuts prior authorization submission time to a median of 49 seconds ARLINGTON, Va., October 23, 2026 - DrFirst, a leading healthcare technology pioneer, has been named by TIME to the World's Top HealthTech Companies list for the second consecutive year, earning recognition in the Health Information & Management category. DrFirst advanced from a "High" rating in 2025 to "Very High" in 2026, reflecting the company's continued momentum in helping healthcare organizations improve medication management and reduce barriers to medication access. Presented by TIME and Statista, the World's Top HealthTech Companies list recognizes 500 companies worldwide, with organizations evaluated on financial performance, reputation analysis and online engagement. "Too many patients still wait days or weeks to start a medication their doctor has prescribed," said Laizer Kornwasser, CEO of DrFirst. "Our team has made real progress toward solving that problem, and I'm proud to see that reflected in TIME's recognition for a second year." The distinction comes as DrFirst continues to expand its intelligent medication management capabilities across the patient journey. Over the past year, the company has applied automation to persistent challenges such as prior authorization (PA) and patient engagement: * A new electronic prior authorization (ePA) solution uses clinical-grade AI to answer PA questions with patient data already captured in the prescribing workflow. In a one-month pilot conducted in mid-2026, the DrFirst solution auto-answered 63% of PBM question sets without clinician edits on more than 2 million questions across 150,000 PAs, with a median time of 49 seconds from open to submission after clinician review.* * A prescription engagement solution automatically sends a text message from the provider to the patient about a new medication. Healthcare organizations have seen up to 88% patient engagement and a 98% patient satisfaction rating.** Together, these solutions and others by DrFirst reduce administrative burden for providers while helping patients start and stay on the therapies they need. About DrFirst For 25 years, healthcare IT pioneer DrFirst has empowered providers and patients to achieve better health through intelligent medication management. The company has won over 25 awards for excellence and innovation, recognizing the company's medication management solutions and integrated workflows that make every step of the patient journey easier, from first prescription to ongoing adherence. DrFirst solutions help over 100 million patients a year and are used by more than 670,000 providers, 71,000 pharmacies, 270 EHRs, and 2,000 hospitals in the U.S. To learn more, visit DrFirst.com. About Statista Statista publishes hundreds of worldwide industry rankings and company listings with high-profile media partners. This research and analysis service is based on the success of statista.com, the leading data and business intelligence portal that provides statistics, relevant business data, and various market and consumer studies and surveys. *Based on DrFirst analysis of more than 150,000 pharmacy prior authorizations processed during a one-month study in mid-2026. **Based on DrFirst analysis of customer results, 2026. Media Contact: Erin Jundef Bospar Communications [email protected]

Bonus Features - September 6, 2026 - 59% of clinicians say TikTok is the top source of misinformation about GLP-1s, AMA names leader for new Center for Digital Health and AI, plus 32 more stories. September 6, 2026 Welcome to the weekly edition of Healthcare IT Today Bonus Features. This article will be a weekly roundup of interesting stories, product announcements, new hires, partnerships, research studies, awards, sales, and more. Because there's so much happening out there in healthcare IT that we aren't able to cover in our full articles, we still want to make sure you're informed of all the latest news, announcements, and stories happening to help you better do your job. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that dozens of health systems in the Philadelphia area had to pull offline web links that publicly revealed daily work schedules and cell phone numbers of healthcare workers. The pages were managed by QGenda, an online workforce management product, and included multiple months of schedules. It's unclear when the info was disclosed, how long it was publicly available, or whether anyone accessed the info and/or did anything with it. Partnerships * Sleep apnea solution provider Daybreak joined Parachute Health, an ePrescribing platform for home medical equipment. * Generative AI workbench GenServe.AI is partnering with CARPL.ai, an AI marketplace for radiology, to connect diagnostic AI with workflows across the patient journey. * Benefits administrator Judi Health announced three new partners to its clinical ecosystem: Color Health, WellTheory, and new Hinge Health subsidiary Cylinder. * Solera Health named Noom as the newest digital health partner in its Weight Management network for health plans and employers. * Virtual-first orthopedic and musculoskeletal care company Upswing Health is partnering with HealthMe, a direct-pay care platform. * Health and community care technology from WellSky is now integrated with WelcomeHome Software, a CRM tool for personal care agencies. * 1upHealth launched 1up Clinical Connect to help health plans to acquire clinical data from provider EHRs and unify it with claims data. * Marketing lead engagement platform CallRail announced new healthcare capabilities, including integrations with 15 EHR and practice management systems. * CluePoints announced three clinical data review capabilities: Intelligent Query Detection, Medical & Safety Review, and Intelligent Medical Coding. * DrFirst announced an electronic prior authorization solution within its e-prescribing platform. * ECLAT Health Solutions updated risk and quality review functionality within its evaire platform for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and ACA plans. * GE HealthCare announced additions to Vivid, its cardiovascular ultrasound portfolio. * Labcorp updated Labcorp Global Trial Connect, the company's portfolio of clinical trial services, data and technology. * Online mental health care provider Mentavi Health made its Mental Wellness Snapshot free to any adult in the United States. * Strata Decision Technology launched Financial Decision Intelligence, which is built directly into the StrataJazz platform to help health systems understand financial performance. * Valify launched Valify AI Chat for its purchased services technology platform. * Viventium added scheduling and time and attendance capabilities to its workforce management software for skilled nursing and senior living providers. Implementations * Oregon-based Orthopedic + Fracture Specialists implemented athenaOne for Orthopedics from athenahealth. * California's Orange County United Way and Orangewood Foundation selected Bonterra to connect case information among a nonprofit case manager, a Medicaid health plan, and a county homelessness system. * The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy selected Fujifilm endoscopic imaging technologies for its Chicago-based Institute for Training and Technology Advanced Bioskills Laboratory and Simulation Center. * South Carolina's MUSC Health selected VirtuAlly for integrating virtual nurses into its ED arrival workflow alongside MUSC Health's Virtual Provider in Triage program. * Ohio-based Kettering Health and nationwide Alternate Solutions Health Network chose WellBeam to integrate home health management and EMR-based physician workflows. Company News If you have news that you'd like us to consider for a future edition of Healthcare IT Today Bonus Features, please submit them on this page. Please include any relevant links and let us know if news is under embargo. Note that submissions received after the close of business on Thursday may not be included in Bonus Features until the following week. Hat tip to Grayson for filling in for me last week. The Beastwoods survived vacation and officially have a kindergartner! Get Fresh Healthcare & IT Stories Delivered Daily