Anthem Blue Cross Faces Lawsuit for Inaccurate Provider Directories

News Highlights for October 2024

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A class action lawsuit has been filed against Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of New York, as reported by Newsweek. The lawsuit accuses the insurance giant of listing an inaccurate directory of doctors who purportedly accepted their insurance. This misleading information, referred to as "ghost networks," led to patients incurring significant out-of-pocket expenses due to being out-of-network. Many patients, as the lawsuit claims, experienced delays in securing medical care or gave up seeking it altogether.

Home care provider Compassus will take over operations of Providence's home care services through a new joint venture, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. This new entity, named Providence at Home with Compassus, will manage 24 home care centers across Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as 17 hospice and nursing facilities in Alaska, California, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. Additionally, private services in Southern California will be handled by the joint venture.

Los Angeles Times, CNN, and Associated Press have covered the ongoing mental health workers' strike in Southern California extensively.

The Urvashi Vaid National LGBTQ+ Women’s Community Survey highlighted significant health disparities among LGBTQ+ women, as reported by NPR. The survey revealed that 22% of respondents have attempted suicide, and 66% have sought treatment for trauma. It also showed prevalent mental health conditions, with 44% suffering from anxiety and 51% from depression. In comparison, the National Association of Mental Illness states that 19% of U.S. adults have an anxiety disorder, while the CDC reports 18% suffer from depression. Racial disparities were also noted, with people of color reporting higher rates of disability and suicide attempts.

Sutter Health is planning an expansion of its Elk Grove campus, aiming to enhance specialty healthcare services, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. This $67.8 million project will add a 56,000-square-foot specialty care center, incorporating 44 physicians, including 27 specialists and 17 primary care providers, focusing on cardiology, neurology, and women's health. Urgent care services will also be expanded, with construction expected to start in summer 2025 and complete in 2026.

Spectrum News reports that Governor Newsom has signed SB 1061, a law by State Senator Monique Limón, which will prevent medical debt from appearing on consumer credit reports. This legislation will affect about 11 million Californians with medical debt. However, a last-minute amendment means that patients using medical credit cards or specialized loans for hospital bills won't be protected. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

A Roll Call article highlights findings from the 2024 Public Perception of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Poll. Conducted by The Harris Poll, it reveals that 61% of adults know someone who has contemplated, attempted, or died by suicide. This number has steadily increased from 53% in 2018 to 59% in 2022. The survey, a collaboration between the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and other organizations, also notes that 25% of U.S. adults have considered or attempted suicide. Encouragingly, 82% of those with suicidal thoughts are open to discussing them, a 9% increase since 2018.