The news: Health insurer Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is backtracking on a controversial anesthesia policy change after receiving extensive backlash from the public.
After saying it’d no longer pay for anesthesia care if surgery or a procedure went beyond a certain time limit—regardless of how long the procedure takes—the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) called out the insurer. The change would have affected plans in Connecticut, Missouri, and New York and was due to take effect in February 2025, per the ASA.
Zooming out: Anthem’s about-face comes amid broader discourse over the tactics insurers are accused of using to avoid paying claims. This includes the use of AI tools to automate medical claim denials.
This news comes just days after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Social media discourse following the death was focused on the public’s general disdain for health insurers.
Anthem’s response: In comments made to Fast Company, a spokesperson from Elevance (the parent company of Anthem plans) suggested that widespread misinformation about Anthem’s anesthesia policy change ultimately led the insurer to not move forward with it.
They said that the proposed policy change was meant to clarify the appropriate use of anesthesia under clinical guidelines, noting that Anthem will never refuse to pay for medically necessary anesthesia care.
Our take: Faced with a reputational crisis, insurers’ public relations and marketing teams should prioritize a communications strategy that clearly and proactively alerts members when a potential health plan policy shift is being considered, the reasons behind it, and how it might affect patients.
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