Eleven physician and patient advocacy groups urged Anthem to roll back several policies the groups deem "harmful," according to a letter sent to an Anthem executive.
Here are three things to know about the letter.
1. The groups called on Anthem to rescind three recent policy changes: its discretionary emergency department policy, its decision to stop covering most outpatient MRIs and CT scans at hospitals without prior approval, and its plan to reduce payment by 25 percent for some separate services administered on the same day as a wellness exam or another procedure.
2. "Given that the combination of these policies will affect numerous medical specialties and countless patients with varying clinical conditions, our concerns are shared by numerous other medical societies on the state and national level," the Jan. 16 letter reads, addressed to Anthem's Executive Vice President and COO Craig Samitt, MD. "We urge Anthem to rescind these policies and consider engaging the provider community in a concerted, serious dialogue on how to best deliver medical care in a cost effective and efficient manner."
3. The 11 signatures comprise:
- Academy of Integrative PainManagement
- American Academy of Dermatology Association
- AmericanCollege of EmergencyPhysicians
- American College of Radiology
- American College of Surgeons
- American Rhinologic Society
- American Society for Radiation Oncology
- Lung Cancer Alliance
- North American Spine Society
- Society of Interventional Radiology
- Society for Vascular Surgery
To view the full letter, click here.
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