Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
1–10 of 39 posts
Re: Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
#2I'm guessing they were worried someone might die
Re: Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
#3Just how is the U.S. healthcare system so broken that this can even be considered? It sounds like some dystopian fiction.
Re: Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
#4I'm guessing they were worried someone might die
I'm sure they were very worried about their patients.
Re: Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
#5Just how is the U.S. healthcare system so broken that this can even be considered? It sounds like some dystopian fiction.
Any sensible thing can be discarded in the name of freedom. Any improvement is communism.
Re: Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
#6Just how is the U.S. healthcare system so broken that this can even be considered? It sounds like some dystopian fiction.
The profit margin of anthem insurance is ~5%. The profit margin of all state insurance is ~7%.
The us health INSURANCE system is not hugely profitable. as care costs go up, the insurance deductible/premium must also go up or the amount of services covered needs to decrease.
The way to fix this is to fix the system. Lower Doctor pay, lower drug cost, showing pricing up front, allowing medical suicide, removal of middle-parties, ..etc all would allow the Us to get more care for money they spend.
Also do realize the U.S. doesn’t have healthCARE but health INSURANCE. Insurance is geared towards covering unexpected large cost events. Americans use their health insurance as health care.
Re: Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
#7Re: Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
#8Just how is the U.S. healthcare system so broken that this can even be considered? It sounds like some dystopian fiction.
The government itself is who came up with the anesthesia guidelines and what the government will and will not pay for if someone’s healthcare is paid by the government (Medicare/Medicaid/etc):
https://www.cms.gov/files/document/chapter2cptcodes00000-019...
But that is one the purposes of the managed care organizations (MCOS, aka health insurers). They take the heat off the politicians for reducing quantity and quality of healthcare, because pay has been going down for 10+ years for doctors.
In the UK, it is easy for people to blame the government for long wait times or less credential provider, since the government is directly offering it. But US leaders are in a better position, they can cut remuneration via myriad billing code changes and prior authorization policies, and people’s eyes will glaze over before they get to the end of this paragraph.
Re: Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
#9Something to keep in mind is healthcare providers are the main drivers of healthcare costs. The insurance company was not going to tell the doctor how long to put you under only how much time they would pay for.
I don't think it's unreasonable to put a cap on the cost of one of highest paid healthcare specialties.
Of the surgeries I've been involved in as a patient or family member, the anesthesiology bill does not seem proportional to the work they do. I mean they do some calculations for the amount of drugs to put you to sleep and then monitor your vitals. Seems like something a responsible and well-trained nurse could do.
Re: Anthem drops controversial new plan to cap anesthesia coverage after backlash
#10I'm guessing they were worried someone might die
[deleted]