Anthem refused to give prior authorization in Dec of 2022 for anticipated March 2023 procedure?

I’ve been trying to get a surgery scheduled with a surgeon who schedules about 2-3 months in advance and it’s pretty critical I fit in the procedure during March. My surgeon’s office first submitted my request for an auth in December of 2022 since they get booked out way in advance. However, Anthem wrote back and said they wouldn’t approve it since it needed to be submitted in the same year it would be conducted (2023).

My plan doesn’t restart until April 2023 (it’s through my partner’s work). Am I wrong in assuming there shouldn’t be an issue with submitting an auth for a couple months in advance?

At this point I’ll be looking at a third submission because a letter from one of my medical providers didn’t have my most recent appt on it…because it was written months ago in anticipation of submitting for auth in December.

I’m getting really worried that I’ll miss this procedure and I’m just wondering if I was wrong not to push for auth back in December. Is there any thing I can do to speed up the process, and was my insurance wrong for denying the first auth? And why wouldn’t insurance point out the missing date on the first auth attempt?