Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reverses decision to put a time limit on anesthesia

AP Health Writer

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield says it won’t tie payments to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. The insurance giant is reversing a stated policy change after widespread outcry. It wasn’t clear how many states would have been affected. The American Society for Anesthesiologists said in a news release last month that the policy would have taken effect in Connecticut, New York and Missouri. Notices also had been posted in Virginia and Colorado.