The move, outlined in an Aug. 1 news release from Anthem, has sparked criticism from the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, which said the move will affect treatment in rural and underserved areas.
“We believe Anthem’s new anesthesia reimbursement policies are in violation of existing federal laws regarding provider nondiscrimination in commercial health plans, encourage higher-cost healthcare delivery without improving quality, and may impair access to care,” the organization said in an Aug. 6 news release. “AANA urges that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield rescind these policies and promote access to CRNA anesthesia services.”
Along with the cut, Anthem removed diagnosis codes not eligible for reimbursement when reported with add-on code 99140 code list, along with other changes.
Read more about the changes here.
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