Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Applauds Enactment of Legislation to Ensure Consistency in Healthcare Billing in Maine

SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE – Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield President Denise McDonough released the following statement today after the Maine Legislature enacted and the Governor signed into law L.D. 1533 , legislation that helps to ensure patients are billed for health services based on where they are rendered:

 

“Today marks an important step toward promoting greater transparency and fairness in healthcare billing. At Anthem, we have seen claims come in showing hospitals billing for services like drug infusions at office locations that are off the hospital campus but billed as if the service had taken place at the hospital – where costs are much higher, both in terms of members’ out-of-pocket costs and employers’ premiums. Based on our claims data, drugs administered in an office location but billed as if administered in a hospital resulted in a double or even triple increase in the cost of those drugs. That’s wrong, and one of the many issues contributing to our healthcare affordability problem in Maine.

 

“We have a responsibility to the people and employers we serve to ensure healthcare services are reimbursed appropriately. We applaud this move by the Maine Legislature to ensure healthcare services are billed correctly and look forward to working collaboratively with health systems to align with this new standard of consistency in billing and protect healthcare affordability for all Mainers.”

 

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