Oh so many systems take "pass the buck" to an insane level. My employer switched insurance providers recently. Twice we were referred to a specialist for one of my kids and each time it took about a week for the referral to be approved (apparently the PCP referring you isn't enough with this HMO).
The only thing that has changed is my HMO; the kids still have the same pediatrician with the same office staff for which referrals were never a problem in the past. However, the insurance company made sure to tell me that they are not the ones delaying it, because it's technically the administrative department of my pediatrician that has to do the referral review. The fact that insurance company mandates that the referral review must be performed by a licensed nurse and follow a byzantine process, of course, has nothing to do with the delay.
The only thing that has changed is my HMO; the kids still have the same pediatrician with the same office staff for which referrals were never a problem in the past. However, the insurance company made sure to tell me that they are not the ones delaying it, because it's technically the administrative department of my pediatrician that has to do the referral review. The fact that insurance company mandates that the referral review must be performed by a licensed nurse and follow a byzantine process, of course, has nothing to do with the delay.