BLUE CROSS WITHDRAWS ENDOSCOPY POLICY PENDING DMHC REVIEW

Blue Cross has agreed to discontinue its policy that pays doctors more money for performing various endoscopy procedures in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) than in hospitals, pending regulatory review. The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) filed a brief Oct. 2 in a lawsuit brought by CHA challenging the legality of the Blue Cross policy, concluding the policy required prior regulatory approval. Hospital Association of Southern California (http://www.hasc.org/briefs.cfm?resID=83380%20)