A recent House bill aims to prevent health insurers from setting arbitrary time limits on patients who are under anesthesia, following Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield’s decision to retract their proposal in response to public backlash.
“We cannot trust insurers to do right by doctors and patients out of the kindness of their hearts,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx), who is sponsoring the bill, told The Post.
“There is a need for legislation that prevents any insurer anywhere in America from micromanaging the length of anesthesia care in a medically necessary surgery,” Torres said. “The purpose of medicine should be to prevent pain, rather than cause it through the denial of anesthesia.”
The congressman’s proposed legislation would prevent health insurers from setting limits on the duration of anesthesia for patients, with potential financial repercussions for exceeding those limits.
Anesthesia prevents patients from experiencing pain during surgeries or other medical procedures by inducing deep sedation or a temporary state of unconsciousness.
The new legislation aims to guarantee that reimbursement for expenses is determined by the medical necessity assessed by the attending anesthesiologist, while also preventing insurers from denying payment solely due to the duration of surgery or care surpassing their established limits.
At 36, Torres is contemplating a bid for governor in 2026 and hasn’t dismissed the idea of running for mayor.
Governor Kathy Hochul criticized Anthem for its planned policy change, and the company’s decision to reverse course followed outreach from her office, she stated.
“I shared my outrage at a plan from Anthem to strip away coverage from New Yorkers who had to go under anesthesia for surgery. We pushed Anthem to reverse course and today they will be announcing a full reversal of this misguided policy,” the governor said on X last week.
“Don’t mess with the health and well-being of New Yorkers — not on my watch.”
Recently, Torres has openly criticized fellow Democrat Hochul, suggesting she resembles “the new Joe Biden” and could face defeat against a Republican in a re-election bid.
He has stated that both the city and state are mismanaged and that New York regulations “hinder business operations.”
Last month, Torres criticized the administrations of Adams and Hochul, along with New York city and state lawmakers, calling them “complicit” in the murders of three innocent individuals by serial stabber Ramon Rivera during a citywide rampage. He stated that local and state regulations enabled the disturbed Rivera to evade detection and embark on a violent rampage.
The congressman has shifted from his earlier progressive views on illegal immigration, border security, and policing. Torres rejected the idea of defunding the police almost three years ago, long before considering a gubernatorial campaign.
