Insurer Drops Anesthesia Cap After Killing Of Rival Exec

Axios reports:

A major health insurance company is backing off of a controversial plan to limit coverage of anesthesia in at least one state, according to Connecticut’s comptroller.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield recently decided to “no longer pay for anesthesia care if the surgery or procedure goes beyond an arbitrary time limit, regardless of how long the surgical procedure takes,” according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, which opposed the decision.

The decision was controversial at the time — but outrage erupted this week after the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City cast a spotlight on divisive insurance decisions.

Read the full article.

After hearing from people across the state about this concerning policy, my office reached out to Anthem, and I’m pleased to share this policy will no longer be going into effect here in Connecticut. https://t.co/AN4fP6xGlg

— Comptroller Sean Scanlon (@CTComptroller) December 5, 2024