Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield decides not to proceed with new anesthesia policy

[pnwmom]

41. That's awful -- but no one among my friends or family has reported an experience like that.

I wonder if the issue is that your wife had some Medicare Advantage or other closed system insurance plan? If you have regular Medicare, for example, that wouldn't happen.

The vast majority of hospitals take Medicare, and anesthesiologists wouldn't be able to practice there unless they did, too.

And I still don't see what was incorrect about the anesthesiologists statement. Anthem said that "misinformation" was being spread but didn't explain what the misinformation was.

The policy, which would have covered Anthem's plans in Connecticut, New York and Missouri, was disclosed in recent weeks, with the company's New York unit posting a notice on Dec. 1. The policy would have excluded people under 22 years old and maternity care.

According to the original policy statement, Anthem had said it would pay only for anesthesia treatments for the length of time that a procedure or surgery is estimated to require based on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service's physician work time values. The insurer noted that claims for anesthesia "above the established number of minutes will be denied."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anthem-blue-cross-blue-shield-anesthesia-coverage-policy/