Georgia Gets Anthem To Pay Disputed Bill, Still Plans Hearing On Complaints

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has agreed to pay the $87,000 in outstanding medical bills of Diane Conine, Georgia officials say. Conine went to Piedmont Newnan Hospital for emergency care in January and had surgery there to remove a tumor on a kidney. Conine said the hospital was listed as part of the network of her insurance plan. However, Anthem initially refused to cover Conine’s expenses.

Courtesy of Georgia Health News

In a case that highlighted problems in insurance networks, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has agreed to pay the $87,000 in outstanding medical bills of a Newnan cancer patient, Georgia officials say.

The patient, Diane Conine, went to Piedmont Newnan Hospital for emergency care in January, and had surgery there to remove a tumor on a kidney. Conine said the hospital was listed as part of the network of the insurance plan when she signed up for that coverage late last year. And the Anthem website showed Piedmont Newnan as part of her network even as recently as a month ago, well after her operation.

But Anthem initially refused to cover Conine’s expenses.