anesthesia

Anthem reverses plans to put time limits on anesthesia coverage

11:33am December 05, 2024

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield was under scrutiny for planning to put time limits on anesthesia care. On Thursday, the large health insurer said it had decided not to proceed with the policy change.

Thomas Greene with his wife, Bluizer, at their home in Oxford, Pennsylvania. After Thomas had a procedure on his leg, the anesthesia providers billed Medicare late, and he was sent to collections for the debt.

Health & Safety

They billed Medicare late for his anesthesia. He went to collections for a $3,000 tab

4:36pm July 28, 2023

by Phil Galewitz

Medicare was supposed to cover the entire cost of his procedure. But the anesthesia provider failed to file its claims in a timely manner and billed the patient instead.

Jerry Bilinski, a retired social worker who lives in Fayetteville, N.C., says he deserves a full explanation from his medical team of what led to a small gash on his forehead during his surgery for a cataract.

He woke up from eye surgery with a gash on his forehead. What happened?

5:01am November 28, 2022

Some doctors and medical practices voluntarily give rebates on a bill if an injury occurs during a procedure, while others will not, a medical ethicist says. Here's how patients can respond.

Orthopedic surgeon Kebba Marenah and his team get ready to perform knee surgery on a 14-year-old at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, the capital of Gambia. The country struggles with a lack of access to sufficient pain medications.

Health & Safety

A Place Where The Opioid Problem Is Upside Down

10:36pm September 27, 2019

by Jason Beaubien

While the opioid problem in the U.S. is about too many opioids, in some countries there are few options for treating or controlling pain.

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Charges for nitrous oxide during labor and delivery haven't been standardized.

Health & Safety

Bill Of The Month: $4,836 Charge For Laughing Gas During Childbirth Is No Joke

5:30pm May 28, 2019

by Lauren Weber

Nitrous oxide is making a comeback for pain relief during childbirth. But charges for the option vary from free at some hospitals to thousands of dollars at others.

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Dr. Brian Chesebro (right), in Portland, Ore., has calculated that by simply using the anesthesia gas sevoflurane in most surgeries, instead of the similar gas desflurane, he can significantly cut the amount of global warming each procedure contributes to

Effects Of Surgery On A Warming Planet: Can Anesthesia Go Green?

10:58pm May 06, 2019

by Kristian Foden-Vencil

Anesthesia revolutionized surgery by vanquishing patients' pain. But many of the chemicals are greenhouse gases. One Oregon doctor who has done the math says some are much less damaging to the planet.

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Delayed pushing made no difference in whether first-time mothers had a cesarean section, a large study finds.

Health & Safety

When Giving Birth For The First Time, Push Away

5:26pm October 09, 2018

by Patti Neighmond

There's no benefit to delaying pushing after receiving epidural anesthesia and reaching full dilation. A delay increases the risk of complications, particularly for the mother, a large study finds.

Throughout the U.S., minors are generally required to have permission from a parent or legal guardian before they can receive most medical treatment. However, each state has established a number of exceptions.

Why Some Teen Moms Can't Get The Pain Relief They Choose In Childbirth

6:55pm December 27, 2017

by Esther Honig

In more than a dozen U.S. states, laws prohibit pregnant teens from getting epidural anesthesia during labor, or even some kinds of prenatal treatment, without a parent's consent.

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Health & Safety

For Anesthesiologist, Easing Pain And Erasing Memories Is All In A Day's Work

1:36pm November 28, 2017

by Terry Gross

Dr. Henry Jay Przybylo specializes in pediatric anesthesiology and treats about 1,000 children a year, including premature babies. His new memoir is called Counting Backwards.

Some States Make It Hard For Teen Moms To Get Pain Relief In Childbirth

3:54pm September 28, 2017

by Esther Honig

Ohio is one of 13 states without a policy allowing a minor to consent, on her own, to pregnancy-linked health care. That means teens who go into labor are sometimes denied epidurals.