Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield attributed a policy reversal to what it described as “significant widespread misinformation” surrounding the plan.
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), one of the largest health insurers in the nation, abruptly reversed its recent decision to no longer link payments in certain states to the duration of a patient’s time under anesthesia.The Reversal
Anthem BCBS attributed its reversal on Thursday to what it described as “significant widespread misinformation” surrounding the policy, according to a statement from the company.
“To be clear, it never was and never will be the policy of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services”, the company said. “The proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines.”
Under the proposed policy, Anthem BCBS planned to use “physician work time values” from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to determine anesthesia time limits, excluding maternity patients and those under 22.
