Bill > SB1019

This bill introduces new regulations for health insurers in Oklahoma regarding anesthesia service coverage. The bill defines key terms, including "anesthesia time" as the period beginning when an anesthesia practitioner starts preparing a patient for anesthesia and ending when those services are no longer being provided. It also clarifies "payments for anesthesia service" by referencing professional medical billing standards like the AMA CPT Codebook and Medicare Claims Processing Manual, which calculate payments based on a base rate plus time units multiplied by a conversion factor. Crucially, the bill prohibits insurers from establishing policies that impose time limits on covered anesthesia services during medical or surgical procedures or restrict/exclude coverage of anesthesia time. This means that insurance companies cannot arbitrarily limit the duration of anesthesia services a patient receives, ensuring more comprehensive coverage. The legislation will become effective on November 1, 2025, and is designed to protect patients by ensuring they receive necessary anesthesia services without undue restrictions from their health insurance providers.

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http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1019&Session=2600