Anthem Blue Cross has issued a systemwide notice amending its physician agreement to require contracted physicians to maintain privileges with at least one in-network ambulatory surgery center.
The notice was sent to over 70,000 physicians. The change was put in place to ensure that physicians who perform procedures that could be done in an ASC maintain privileges at a licensed, in-network ASC.
The previous agreement only required physicians to maintain privileges at an in-network hospital, according to an April 18 news release from the California Medical Association.
The change will also require new providers to report both the hospitals and ASCs at which they have privileges during the application process, the release said. Current physicians can report ASC privileges via the provider maintenance form in the provider section on Anthem's website.
The new policy will go into effect Sept. 1.