SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — A new bill has been passed by Illinois lawmakers to prevent insurance companies from imposing time limits on anesthesia coverage, protecting patients from financial strain.
This legislative move followed an incident in the fall of 2024 when Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield attempted to implement this practice in New York, Missouri, and Connecticut by linking payments to the duration a patient spent under anesthesia. In essence, they aimed to cease coverage after a set period, leaving patients to bear the additional anesthesia costs themselves.
Now, this bill has successfully passed both the House and the Senate with bipartisan backing and is on its way to Governor JB Pritzker for approval. The bill ensures coverage for anesthesia irrespective of the procedure’s length.
The bill’s sponsor in the House, Rep. William Hauter (R-Morton), who is a physician and anesthesiologist himself, said this will make sure it cannot be tried in Illinois.
“So, this is outrageous, it’s just another tactic that we see insurance companies using to reduce coverage or to deny payments to people,” Hauter said. “That’s not how things work. Just another way to put profits over patients and so we put a stop to it.”
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reversed their policy on the issue after public outcry, saying it was misinformation.
Sen. Doris Turner (D-Decatur) who carried the bill in the Senate, said people have been taken advantage of for far too long.
“Instead of lining their own pockets, let’s put patients’ health first,” Turner said. “Under this plan, people can rest assured that a time limit can’t be put on anesthesia services, requiring patients to pay the cost.”
If the governor signs the bill into law, it will take effect next year for all insurances.
