Kaiser Foundation Health Plan has walked back on an anesthesia pay change that was implemented in Washington state in November.
Under the reversed plan, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington Options would no longer reimburse anesthesia services when submitted without the appropriate modifiers identifying who performed the service. Additionally, the plans reduced QZ services rendered by certified registered nurse anesthetists to 85% of the physician fee schedule.
On Dec. 12, a spokesperson for Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente confirmed that it would reverse the policy.
"As one of the largest not-for-profit healthcare providers in the country, Kaiser Permanente’s mission is to provide high-quality, affordable care to our members and the communities we serve," the spokesperson said. "While we will continue our focus on keeping care affordable for our members, we will not implement changes in reimbursement rates for anesthesia services provided by certified registered nurse anesthetists. We have returned to previous reimbursement rate levels, retroactive to November 1, 2024."
The move comes after the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology said in a Dec. 10 statement that the policy "discriminates against CRNAs based on their licensure because the policy does not affect any other anesthesia providers who offer the same services as CRNAs."
"Like other recent policy reversals, the news that Kaiser will wakl back their new anesthesia reimbursement policy is appropriate albeit late," Ms. Setnor said in a Dec. 13 statement shared with Becker's. "This policy – and those similar – never should have been implemented in the first place."
The move also comes after Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reversed its decision on a controversial anesthesia reimbursement policy update.