Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield halts plan to put time limit on coverage for anesthesia after criticism [Video]

(Gray News) – A major insurance company’s controversial plan to limit coverage for anesthesia during surgery is being reversed after receiving criticism.

The plan from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield would affect those in Connecticut, New York and Missouri.

The plan initially said starting in February, the insurance company would deny claims for anesthesia surgeries that exceed specific time limits.

According to CNN and NPR, Anthem said the proposed change was part of an effort to make health care more affordable by reducing overbilling.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists has called Anthem’s plan egregious and uninformed.

The organization called for the policy to be reversed immediately.

On Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for Anthem told KMOV in Missouri that the company’s anesthesia policy will not be changing:

“There has been significant widespread misinformation about an update to our anesthesia policy. As a result, we have decided to not proceed with this policy change. To …