Backwork
API Reference

Get prior authorization research status

Poll the status and results of a prior authorization research task until status is "completed" or "failed".

Endpoint: GET /api/v1/prior-auth/research/{id}

Availability: Live in production.

Authentication: API key in Authorization: Bearer <key> with the read scope.

Poll the status and results of a prior authorization research task until status is "completed" or "failed". When completed, the response includes the full structured research results. No cost for polling.

Parameters

  • id (path, required): Research task ID returned from POST /prior-auth/research

Example request

curl -X GET "https://backworkhealth.com/api/v1/prior-auth/research/res_abc123" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $BACKWORK_API_KEY"

Example response (200)

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "research_id": "res_abc123",
    "status": "pending",
    "created_at": "2026-01-15T10:30:00Z",
    "finished_at": "2026-01-15T10:30:00Z",
    "poll_url": "/api/v1/prior-auth/research/res_abc123",
    "result": {
      "determination": {
        "pa_required": true,
        "confidence": "high",
        "reasoning": "string"
      },
      "payer_policies": [
        {
          "payer_name": "string",
          "policy_name": "string",
          "policy_url": "string",
          "effective_date": "string",
          "summary": "string"
        }
      ],
      "documentation_requirements": [
        {
          "requirement": "string",
          "mandatory": true,
          "notes": "string"
        }
      ],
      "medical_necessity_criteria": [
        {
          "criterion": "string",
          "category": "diagnosis"
        }
      ],
      "coverage_limitations": [
        {
          "limitation": "string",
          "applies_to": "string"
        }
      ],
      "timeline": {
        "standard_review_days": 0,
        "expedited_review_days": 0,
        "approval_validity_days": 0
      },
      "appeal_process": {
        "levels": 0,
        "timeframe_days": 0,
        "notes": "string"
      },
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "string",
          "url": "string",
          "relevance": "string"
        }
      ]
    },
    "cost": {
      "num_searches": 0,
      "num_pages": 0,
      "reasoning_tokens": 0,
      "total_dollars": 0
    },
    "error": "string"
  },
  "meta": {
    "request_id": "string",
    "timestamp": "2026-01-15T10:30:00Z"
  }
}
GET
/prior-auth/research/{id}

Authorization

bearerAuth
AuthorizationBearer <token>

API key in format: bwk_live_xxxxx. Keys issued before the rename (vrt_live_) remain valid. bwk_test_ keys work only on the sandbox.

In: header

Path Parameters

id*string

Research task ID returned from POST /prior-auth/research

Response Body

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

application/json

curl -X GET "https://example.com/prior-auth/research/res_abc123"
{  "success": true,  "data": {    "research_id": "res_abc123",    "status": "pending",    "created_at": "2019-08-24T14:15:22Z",    "finished_at": "2019-08-24T14:15:22Z",    "poll_url": "/api/v1/prior-auth/research/res_abc123",    "result": {      "determination": {        "pa_required": true,        "confidence": "high",        "reasoning": "string"      },      "payer_policies": [        {          "payer_name": "string",          "policy_name": "string",          "policy_url": "string",          "effective_date": "string",          "summary": "string"        }      ],      "documentation_requirements": [        {          "requirement": "string",          "mandatory": true,          "notes": "string"        }      ],      "medical_necessity_criteria": [        {          "criterion": "string",          "category": "diagnosis"        }      ],      "coverage_limitations": [        {          "limitation": "string",          "applies_to": "string"        }      ],      "timeline": {        "standard_review_days": 0,        "expedited_review_days": 0,        "approval_validity_days": 0      },      "appeal_process": {        "levels": 0,        "timeframe_days": 0,        "notes": "string"      },      "sources": [        {          "title": "string",          "url": "string",          "relevance": "string"        }      ]    },    "cost": {      "num_searches": 0,      "num_pages": 0,      "reasoning_tokens": 0,      "total_dollars": 0    },    "error": "string"  },  "meta": {    "request_id": "string",    "timestamp": "2019-08-24T14:15:22Z"  }}

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