Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield officials intended to implement the changes nationwide but stated they were misinterpreted. On Thursday, the major health insurer reversed a policy change that would have limited payments for anesthesia for patients and denied claims if a procedure exceeded a certain time limit. The policy, which was meant to be tested before a national launch, sparked controversy first among anesthesiologists and then, following various media reports, from lawmakers in Connecticut and New York, where it was set to begin in February. Anesthesiologists claimed that the reimbursement change was unprecedented and would have disrupted a standard formula established since the 1990s. “No other commercial health insurer, nor any government payer, including Medicare or Medicaid, has ever implemented such an arbitrary time limit for anesthesia services,” stated Dr. Don Arnold, president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. He added, “Surgery and other procedures can vary significantly in duration.” “While procedures and techniques are standardized, each patient has unique needs that demand different levels of time, care, and attention.” Kathy Hochul from New York posted on X, previously called Twitter: “Unbelievable.” “I’m going to ensure that New Yorkers are safe.” We are experiencing difficulties in accessing the article content. Please turn on JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience as we check access. If you are currently in Reader mode, please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe to access all of The Times. We appreciate your patience as we verify your access. Are you already a subscriber? Sign in… Interested in accessing all of The Times? Subscribe.
