UnitedHealthcare CEO murder terrifies insurance giants

A major American health insurance company has backtracked on its controversial decision not to pay for anaesthesia if the patient has been under the knife longer than normal.

Anthem's reversal blue cross blue shields came in the aftermath of the murder in Manhattan of Brian Thompson, ceo of insurance giant United Healtcare.

The new decision covers Connecticut policyholders.

Anthem, in setting reimbursement ceilings for anaesthesia, had relied on the standards of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services without considering possible contingencies in the course of surgery.

The limitations had been controversial at the time, but Thompson's assassination revived them in a new light.