Chris Murphy 🟧 @ChrisMurphyCT: This is appalling. Saddling patients

[Passages]

Chris Murphy 🟧
@ChrisMurphyCT
This is appalling. Saddling patients with thousands of dollars in surprise additional medical debt.
And for what? Just to boost corporate profits?

Reverse this decision immediately.

"In an unprecedented move, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield plans representing Connecticut, New York and Missouri have unilaterally declared it will no longer pay for anesthesia care if the surgery or procedure goes beyond an arbitrary time limit."

https://asahq.org/about-asa/newsroom/news-releases/2024/11/anthem-blue-cross-blue-shield-will-not-pay-complete-duration-of-anesthesia-for-surgical-procedures

Link to tweet

More of this, Senator Murphy.

[SheltieLover]

1. UNACCEPTABLE!

[Passages]

2. What never ceases to amaze me is how brazen they are.

They fear no one in DC.


Hoping for better times soon.

[onecaliberal]

3. Sue them now for tens of billions.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. Not the onion?

Instead of count backward I guess you say “hey doc, hurry the fuck up the clock is ticking”

[EastBayGuy]

5. Bold move for these CEOs, just sayin

[Henry203]

6. Anthem owns 14 blues

By far the biggest.

[SWBTATTReg]

7. I see danger w/ this choice, arbitrary doesn't mean medical acceptable or what is needed medical-wise. What if there

are issues during a surgery that require a longer period of time the patient being knocked out/under the gas?

[IcyPeas]

8. Health insurance companies are not about HEALTH. They are a scam.

This HAS to change.

I mean doesn't this affect the actual employees/peons who work for anthem ... who work for BCBS? That's what I don't get.

How can anyone justify this?

[Hekate]

9. From red-state assholes to corporate greedheads, there's sure an awful lot of people without MDs...

…who are more than happy to tell doctors how to do their jobs even if it means patients literally die in literal agony.

What was that I heard from the GOP about “death panels” all those years ago?

[La Coliniere]

10. Totally unacceptable.

In most countries it’s against the law to make a profit for denying care. This is outrageous.

[Evolve Dammit]

12. Not here. As poster below points out, corporations are people too in US.

[La Coliniere]

13. What's really sick is that they are "people"

with no expiration date. So they’re in a sense immortal until THEY decide when to put an end to themselves. Sickening

[Evolve Dammit]

44. Watch "The Corporation" if you feel brave. Highly acclaimed documentary. Won 36 awards I believe

[La Coliniere]

48. I actually own the CD. Was eye opening.

It’s thesis is that if corporations are considered “people”, they are sociopathic and psychotic people. Their argument is solid.

[Evolve Dammit]

49. Wow. I'm impressed you own it. They interjected just enough humor to keep me from wanting to kill myself!

[durablend]

11. Hey, insurance CEOs are people too

With real feelings. How would you feel if one of them couldn't afford another yacht because said patient wouldn't take a sleeping pill just in case the anesthesia wears off?

[paleotn]

16. That's the least of their worries, given recent events.

[duncang]

14. What's next?

Your surgery didn’t finish in time so we won’t pay it either.

Will we get to a point in the past so far before anesthesia where doctors were chosen for how fast they could amputate a patient’s leg?

This is why the accounting department at an insurance company shouldn’t be able to set rules.

[paleotn]

15. Keep it up, Anthem, and your CEO is gonna need some really serious security.

[dlk]

17. Anthem Blue Cross' decision is no different than putting a timer on childbirth

It’s cruel and inhumane. It will cause more surgical mishaps and worse outcomes.

[dalton99a]

18. Always fight back

https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/01/24/blue-cross-pause-colonoscopy-anesthesia-sedation

Blue Cross halts controversial colonoscopy changes after backlash from doctors
Updated January 25, 2024
Priyanka Dayal McCluskey

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is putting the brakes on a controversial policy to restrict the use of anesthesia during colonoscopies.

The policy took effect Jan. 1, drawing outrage from doctors who worried it would slow their productivity and discourage patients from getting a potentially life-saving procedure over fears of discomfort and pain. Doctors had lobbied Blue Cross officials to reconsider the changes, WBUR reported earlier this month.

On Wednesday, Blue Cross leaders said they decided to pause enforcement of the policy — indefinitely.

“It has become clear to us that there is confusion about the policy and the reasons for it,” Dr. Sandhya Rao, the company’s chief medical officer, said in a statement.

[calimary]

21. Um ... they're just noticing???

[Passages]

24. Wow. They really are like the Mob, always trying to get away with more.

[dalton99a]

25. Yep. Always reduce payouts to fatten their bank accounts

[NotHardly]

19. Wonder what their security details cost now after that NY assassination of a CEO

[NutmegYankee]

20. I'm not sure this would impact Connecticut.

Surprise bills are against state law and the hospital and insurer are required to work out the cost to market rate anyhow. Stupid corporate bluster - a true shot to their own foot.

[Passages]

22. Murphy did not mention that, I hope CT can block it.

[Karasu]

23. Just what people in those states (or anywhere) need. More fucking money out of their pockets for health care companies.

In a country where the average person has $8000 in the bank, according to the Federal Reserve. In what universe is this remotely sustainable? Hell, how the fuck hasn't the system collapsed already? I really can't see it surviving 4 years of this shit (and I very much doubt Trump is leaving in 4 years anyhow if he's still breathing, but that's beside the point).

[niyad]

29. The average person? Nobody I know personally has 8k in the bank. Most

of us are on social security, or just about to be eligible for it.

[Karasu]

30. Yeah, I find it questionable myself, but that is what the Federal Reserve has been saying since 2022.

[niyad]

35. Well, if they count leon skum and zuck. .

[Karasu]

42. Those two pieces of trash have significantly more than $8000, but yes. Also, "Leon Skum" is the perfect anagram of

his name. LOL

[niyad]

43. I claim no credit for the clever angram, which I cheerfully stole, but have

forgotten from whom!

[niyad]

26. Given the event this morning, this was probably NOT a great time to announce this.

[Passages]

27. Agree!

[Arazi]

28. Not in the medical field but are anesthesia drugs that expensive?

[lapfog_1]

32. it's not the cost of the drug

it's the cost of the anesthesiologist that administers the drug. That person is well trained to give you just enough to stop the awful pain, but not so much you stop breathing.

[Arazi]

33. Yes but they can't be making more than the surgeon right?

Why target just that specialist in the room (when there’s usually at least others who presumably make as much or more $$)

[lapfog_1]

34. actually about the same as a well trained surgeon.

everybody depends on them being really really good at their jobs.

Certainly more that most of us make.

[Arazi]

36. So why pick on them?

Why not other specialists in the OR?

It’s crazy they’ve seized on this specialist

[lapfog_1]

38. this might well be the trial balloon.

Finish the surgery in X time so we don't have to pay for more time. Speed in surgery is what leads to costly mistakes. Sure, sometimes you need to move fast to repair damage from trauma or because of the overall health of the patient. But the faster the surgeon goes that less costly. They are all about reducing cost while increasing premiums.

[Arazi]

39. Agreed it's a trial balloon. They dare not touch the surgeons

Imo.

They went after a specialty they thought they could attack…
Maybe NICU pediatricians will be next (you only have 3 hours to save that baby!)… or obstetricians (she’s taking too long!)

[Pas-de-Calais]

31. Disgusting!!

[ShazzieB]

37. Well, THAT doesn't make me mad enough to flip a table or anything.

Oh, wait. Yes, it does.



Freaking greedy parasites!

[pansypoo53219]

40. medical industial complex. for profits baby!!! kaching!

[irisblue]

41. Their CEOs & Board of Directors are going to need body guards

[berksdem]

45. Not shocking...

I work in the industry. The only priority is growing the EPS on an annual basis for the investors. The CEOs and Execs rake in the cash and stock as they build generational wealth. Anthem/Elevance is nearly as bad as United in terms of claims denied. Meanwhile the rich get richer on the backs of paying members. All the while those members are getting screwed to the point of losing lifesaving healthcare.

[Passages]

46. This should be the last straw. I would love to believe that.

But I think we both know better, especially with a master grifter coming back to the White House.

[berksdem]

47. Sadly, I believe you are right Passages.