1
of 5

What you'll accomplish

By the end of this guide, you'll know how to use Claude (free) to quickly interpret payer policy documents, determine prior authorization requirements, and get plain-English answers to payer coverage questions — without spending 20–30 minutes on hold with payer hotlines.

What you'll need

  • A free Claude account at claude.ai
  • Access to payer policy documents (from payer portals, your hospital's policy library, or copied from a payer website)
  • Time needed: 5 minutes to set up; 2–3 minutes per payer question
  • Cost: Free (Claude.ai has a generous free plan)

How-To Guide: Use Claude to Research Payer Policies and PA Requirements

Step 1: Create a Free Claude Account

Go to claude.ai in a web browser.

  1. Click "Sign Up" and create a free account using your email or Google account
  2. Complete the brief setup questionnaire (select "Other" for job type if Patient Access isn't listed)
  3. You're taken to the main Claude chat interface — a clean text window

What you should see: A chat interface with a text input box at the bottom and Claude's greeting at the top.