TLDR: The insurance company has a new policy, set to take effect in February 2025, where they decide how much anesthesia is needed for surgeries. They won’t pay for any anesthesia over that, with exemptions for maternity and pediatric cases and for Connecticut providers.

The article also notes the insurance company reported a $2.3 billion net income increase in June 2024.

Edit to update: Anthem now says they won’t put this policy into effect

  • @[email protected]
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    5 months ago

    So, at the absolute most charitable interpretation, this punishes patients for having a slow surgical staff or for a surgery having complications. Like most insurance things, punishing the patient for shit completely outside of their control.

    On top of this, best outcome of this (for doctors to try and ensure their patients don’t need to decide between potential financial ruin or surgery) would be for all surgical departments to wildly inflate their surgery times so they can’t ever be over estimate. This will significantly reduce the amount of surgeries able to be completed per day, and hike up the price even more as they have to bill for more time.

    The only possible justification for this is attempting to find another place to lower financial costs to the insurance company at any “cost”. I miss when these people had enough shame to not go this mask off.

    • @[email protected]
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      285 months ago

      This actually sets a time limit for anesthesia regardless of procedure or estimated time from the doctors.
      It’s entirely up to the insurance company to set an arbitrary time with which they think medical care should be provided within and deny past.

      It’s nothing but appalling cruelness for the sake of it, and a few extra dollars for a CEO and board of Directors that deserve the opposite of health care.

  • paraphrand
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    5 months ago

    The doctor took too long, and now your coverage is gone. That’s what happened. Bakow!

    • @[email protected]
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      815 months ago

      “One of the reasons that she has remained so active in this particular field is because she has seen what it does to people when they can’t get insurance to cover the healthcare they need."

      Sadists.

      • @[email protected]
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        255 months ago

        “One of the reasons that she has remained so active in this particular field is because she has seen what it does to people when they can’t get insurance to cover the healthcare they need."

        FTFY. It makes the people desperate enough to buy her product.

    • raoul
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      225 months ago

      "One of the reasons that she has remained so active in this particular field is because she has seen what it does to people when they can’t get insurance to cover the healthcare they need,” Money Inc. wrote.

  • @[email protected]
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    285 months ago

    Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted from “significant widespread misinformation” about the policy.

    Ah, yes, if people complain about being mistreated, it is always “Our plan was misunderstood”, or “The critique is based on misinformation”…

  • Optional
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    625 months ago

    Well I certainly hope we don’t need to see someone step in to explain to the company how wrong this is.

  • Waldowal
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    285 months ago

    That’s right. Rush the surgeons. That will end well.

    • @[email protected]
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      5 months ago

      From January 2011 to November 2014, she served as the chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare

      Small world, when you move in those circles. Imagine how these people convince themselves they’re doing something good and admirable.

  • @[email protected]
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    115 months ago

    and for Connecticut providers

    Anybody from Connecticut care to respond. Why is your state so special?

    • @[email protected]OP
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      65 months ago

      From a more recent article where Anthem now says they won’t implement this policy:

      Connecticut comptroller Sean Scanlon said the “concerning” policy wouldn’t affect the state after conversations with the insurance company. And New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an emailed statement Thursday that her office had also successfully intervened.