Democratic Rep. David Smith sponsored the proposal in response to a policy floated by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield that would have placed time limits on procedures using anesthesia in Missouri, New York and Connecticut.
Following blowback from patients, physicians and industry groups, Anthem eventually withdrew the proposal.
The payer said that the reversal was spurred from “widespread misinformation” surrounding the update.
The legislation says insurers “shall not deny coverage for anesthesia services, or impose any cap on the reimbursement amount for anesthesia services, on the basis that the duration of a procedure for which anesthesia services are performed exceeds a particular time limit.”
In December, similar legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
