Blue Cross Blue Shield executives reversed their controversial proposed policy that would have limited payments for policyholders’ anesthesia. BCBS released a statement saying they will halt the proposed policy and continue to fund anesthesia bills for all policyholders.
Last week, Anthem BCBS said plans representing Connecticut, New York and Missouri would no longer pay for anesthesia care if surgery or procedures went beyond an arbitrary time limit — regardless of duration.
The proposed policy came to light a day after the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was headed to speak with company investors when he was killed. In 2021, Thompson drew attention when he implemented a plan for UnitedHealthcare to start denying payment for policyholders’ non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. On Monday afternoon, law enforcement confirmed the arrest of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione as a person of interest in the investigation.
Social media users grotesquely joked that a similar fate might befall BCBS executives if the policy proposal wasn’t denied. Apparently, BCBS didn’t think the joke was funny.
