• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

"UnitedHealthcare CEO is fatally shot in a ‘targeted attack’ outside a New York hotel"

UHC apparently has the highest rate of denials of any Health Insurance company in the US...I imagine many people will be less than unhappy to hear this.
UHC denial policies are morally abhorrent on a good day. They use AI refusals which is illegal in several states allegedly. Definition of a soulless corporation that'll do anything for a buck. Frankly, I'm surprised corporate types like this dude don't get shot in the street. Even the Robber Barons understood you have to build the Poors a park or a library from time to time.
 
Right after that, this comes out.

View attachment 89537

Wtf - do they just stop anesthesia if the patient can’t pay?

I don't know what you're referring to as "that" in the statement "right after that, this came out", but the actual announcement from the insurance company in question was issued on 1 Nov.

November 1, 2024

Anesthesia billed time units — Commercial​

Beginning with claims processed on or after February 1, 2025, Anthem will change how it evaluates billed time on professional claims for anesthesia services (that is, CPT® codes 00100 through 01999).

We will utilize the CMS Physician Work Time values to target the number of minutes reported for anesthesia services. Claims submitted with reported time above the established number of minutes will be denied. This update will not change industry standard coding requirements or the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ (ASA) anesthesia formula.

This update will account for anesthesia work time included in the pre-service evaluations, intra-service period, and post-service period. The appropriateness of billing for pre- and post-operation time must be documented and follow the guidelines established by the ASA as to the appropriate time that should be counted and documented.

Exclusions:
  • Patients under the age of 22
  • Maternity-related care
Resources:
  • Frequency Editing — Professional reimbursement policy
  • CMS Physician Fee Schedule (PSF) Federal Regulation Notice Final Rule Physician Work Time
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)
If you disagree with a claim reimbursement decision, please follow the claim dispute process as outlined in the Provider Manual. Documentation to support your request will be required.

If you have questions about this communication or need assistance with any other item, please contact your provider relationship management representative.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists response is discussed on their site.


Wtf - do they just stop anesthesia if the patient can’t pay?

No, it's not a coin operated machine that requires the meter to be fed during surgery; once anaesthesia is started the gaspasser continues to provide care until the procedure is completed and the patient is recovered. What the policy does attempts to do is download the cost (or cost recovery) onto the anaesthesiologist who either bills the patient for the extra charge or eats it. In the absence of other news reports/releases, what I suspect is that the ASA (and other professional and patient advocacy bodies) will continue to oppose this, including taking them to court.

Health insurance billing in the USA is an industry in itself. While I had some familiarity with it, the complexity of the system(s) compared to medical billing in Canada would be like comparing a row boat to an aircraft carrier.

In a similar move about a year ago, anaesthesia for colonoscopies was restricted until there was some pushback.
 
Most people can’t hit a barn wall if they were standing inside it. This person was either lucky or trained. I’d wager trained
 
I don't know what you're referring to as "that" in the statement "right after that, this came out", but the actual announcement from the insurance company in question was issued on 1 Nov.



The American Society of Anesthesiologists response is discussed on their site.




No, it's not a coin operated machine that requires the meter to be fed during surgery; once anaesthesia is started the gaspasser continues to provide care until the procedure is completed and the patient is recovered. What the policy does attempts to do is download the cost (or cost recovery) onto the anaesthesiologist who either bills the patient for the extra charge or eats it. In the absence of other news reports/releases, what I suspect is that the ASA (and other professional and patient advocacy bodies) will continue to oppose this, including taking them to court.

Health insurance billing in the USA is an industry in itself. While I had some familiarity with it, the complexity of the system(s) compared to medical billing in Canada would be like comparing a row boat to an aircraft carrier.

In a similar move about a year ago, anaesthesia for colonoscopies was restricted until there was some pushback.
Just a random ass question,

How often does this type of structure come into conflict with the medical professions' various Codes of Ethics and or the Hippocratic Oath?
 
I don't know what you're referring to as "that" in the statement "right after that, this came out", but the actual announcement from the insurance company in question was issued on 1 Nov.



The American Society of Anesthesiologists response is discussed on their site.




No, it's not a coin operated machine that requires the meter to be fed during surgery; once anaesthesia is started the gaspasser continues to provide care until the procedure is completed and the patient is recovered. What the policy does attempts to do is download the cost (or cost recovery) onto the anaesthesiologist who either bills the patient for the extra charge or eats it. In the absence of other news reports/releases, what I suspect is that the ASA (and other professional and patient advocacy bodies) will continue to oppose this, including taking them to court.

Health insurance billing in the USA is an industry in itself. While I had some familiarity with it, the complexity of the system(s) compared to medical billing in Canada would be like comparing a row boat to an aircraft carrier.

In a similar move about a year ago, anaesthesia for colonoscopies was restricted until there was some pushback.
When I was the Med Fin clerk in Calgary, I remember getting a bill from an anaesthesiologist with an attached apology asking for extra units because the surgery went longer than anticipated - the procedure would normally be billed for "x" number of work units, however all wasn't as it seemed, so ti went over a few hours...I can guarantee that if this were in the States, this would have been declined, and better than even odds, some of the worst offender companies would have declined the entire anaesthetic cost because of the overtime run.
Just a random ass question,

How often does this type of structure come into conflict with the medical professions' various Codes of Ethics and or the Hippocratic Oath?
Daily...I see this online on X/Twitter and the PA boards I haunt that are largely American - folks getting stuck on the phone waiting for approval for a med or a procedure, then having to fight it out because it's better business for the company for people to not get treatment. My favourite is hearing about the "peer to peer" chats some folks have to go through, who are physicians employed by the insurance company to decline ordered tests/treatments - many of them, when confronted, aren't licensed in the specialty required to be a peer, aren't actually practicing in the real world/not up do date on current standards of care and often are forced to back down when asked about where/if they're actually licensed, as they know full well a formal complaint will be going to their regulator. The issue with this is the MD/PA/NP concerned is stuck on the phone, not seeing patients and not being able to bill for seeing the patient they're discussing, since the company is stalling them out...and while the insurance company is making money, the provider isn't.
 
When I was the Med Fin clerk in Calgary, I remember getting a bill from an anaesthesiologist with an attached apology asking for extra units because the surgery went longer than anticipated - the procedure would normally be billed for "x" number of work units, however all wasn't as it seemed, so ti went over a few hours...I can guarantee that if this were in the States, this would have been declined, and better than even odds, some of the worst offender companies would have declined the entire anaesthetic cost because of the overtime run.

Daily...I see this online on X/Twitter and the PA boards I haunt that are largely American - folks getting stuck on the phone waiting for approval for a med or a procedure, then having to fight it out because it's better business for the company for people to not get treatment. My favourite is hearing about the "peer to peer" chats some folks have to go through, who are physicians employed by the insurance company to decline ordered tests/treatments - many of them, when confronted, aren't licensed in the specialty required to be a peer, aren't actually practicing in the real world/not up do date on current standards of care and often are forced to back down when asked about where/if they're actually licensed, as they know full well a formal complaint will be going to their regulator. The issue with this is the MD/PA/NP concerned is stuck on the phone, not seeing patients and not being able to bill for seeing the patient they're discussing, since the company is stalling them out...and while the insurance company is making money, the provider isn't.
The 3 D's of private insurance!
D - Delay
D - Don't pay
D - Deny
 
The 3 D's of private insurance!
D - Delay
D - Don't pay
D - Deny
Speaking of clusters of D words, this just in (highlights mine) ....
Screenshot 2024-12-05 093356.jpg
 
The bodyguard business just got a pay raise.
whitney houston film GIF
 
Speaking of clusters of D words, this just in (highlights mine) ....
View attachment 89539
I think we may have found a motive...can I get the ten G's?
 
Most people can’t hit a barn wall if they were standing inside it. This person was either lucky or trained. I’d wager trained
 
Back
Top