CHICAGO – In an unprecedented move, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield plans representing Connecticut, New York and Missouri have unilaterally declared it will 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. The American Society of Anesthesiologists calls on Anthem to reverse this proposal immediately.

  • Railcar8095@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    73
    ·
    7 days ago

    Did they see a healthcare CEO dead on the street and thought “this is the right moment to fuck with people”?

  • Spacehooks@reddthat.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    38
    ·
    7 days ago

    Seems like they are encouraging Mal practices suits against doctors that rushed surgeries. Wonder if there a class action suit here or something.

  • Laurel Raven@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    23
    ·
    7 days ago

    Right after the recent news about another healthcare CEO, this seems like a great way to get your own headline

    • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      38
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      7 days ago

      It isn’t - it was announced 11/14. As someone who follows healthcare news I really hope to fucking god more people start following it more closely.

        • rumba@lemmy.zip
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          7 days ago

          Unfortunately, those are going to be zoom calls.

          I wonder if there will ever be a participant-run health insurance company.

          • zalgotext@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            7 days ago

            participant-run health insurance company

            How would you envision that working? Like participants get to write their own coverage plans and decide their premiums/fees?

            • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              8
              ·
              7 days ago

              Health insurance was originally participant run - the old form of insurance is just a bunch of folks putting a chunk of money in a pot every so often in case they need it in an emergency. There are still health collectives like that in operation… though most of them are shitty religious people trying to dodge the ACA requirements.

    • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      26
      ·
      7 days ago

      I bet after this a new book was opened up on the large health care insurance orgs in Vegas.

      I probably can’t buy in, but certainly would be entertaining.

  • BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    194
    ·
    7 days ago

    When the police show up to investigate your murder, and they ask “Is there anyone who would wish to harm your Husband/Wife?” and your spouse just turns over your entire database of your clients, you’re the bad guy/girl.

            • phubarr@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              6
              ·
              edit-2
              7 days ago

              Upon further review, our underwriters determined the claim was to have been declined per the contract document outlining your coverage. Please be patient as we send a corrected summary of benefits which will reflect your updated balance. Please remit payment immediately upon receipt. Failure to do so can result in up to and including termination of benefits, your account being transferred to collections, and civil litigation.

              Thank you for being a valued heathcare subscriber, where you have hypothetical benefits that you can’t use or else you’ll wish you had died instead of the alternate path where you’ll be working for the rest of your pathetic life to pay off this one relatively minor incident, or else your credit will be ruined and you won’t be able to buy nice things, which hopefully ushers you one step closer to homelessness, where it has become illegal in several municipalities and you will be forcibly relocated against your will and possibly beaten by police and have your remaining possessions destroyed for inconveniencing and annoying our most courageous of law enforcement officers*. Welcome to Costco, I love you.

              *I’ve served my county as a firefighter/EMT and have seen this first hand, with my own eyes, more than once, so don’t tell me it doesn’t happen.

  • EleventhHour@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    170
    ·
    edit-2
    7 days ago

    If there’s anything that we should all be aware of when it comes to insurance companies, it’s that they will fuck you as hard, and as often as possible, unless there is a law specifically prohibiting it. Even then, they’ll still try to get away with it, counting on you being too poor to fight them in court.

    Insurance companies are among the most predatory and despicable entities that exist, which is why they should all be nationalized and provided by right to citizens and funded by taxpayer dollars. Specifically, rich people paying taxes.

    • Auli@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      22
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      7 days ago

      Maybe it is the beginning of eat the rich. I mean something has to be done about it and the governments are not doing shit.

  • Linktank
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    113
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    7 days ago

    Here’s hoping they get the United Healthcare treatment.

  • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    87
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    7 days ago

    don’t worry, the people who continually vote this unregulated trainwreck into existence want to repeal obamacare, but want to keep their ACA

    • adarza@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      37
      ·
      7 days ago

      the term “medicare”, iirc, was first used to describe eisenhower’s dependents medical care act (for military families); and public-funded medical coverage for seniors (social security recipients) was first proposed during his administration (which ultimately passed congress under lbj, along with medicaid).

      just take bernie’s medicare for all bill, that i’m sure he has written, rename it “the dwight d. eisenhower memorial health care act” and send it through.

      • thatKamGuy@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        7 days ago

        The GOP will just think of something snide to call it, Berniecare at best - CommieCare if they’re feeling spicy.

        This is the same group of people who refused to call it the Democratic Party for so long, that “Democrat Party” (emphasis on the rat) has basically been normalised.