Judge Strikes Down Blue Cross Suit

A superior court judge has rejected a request by the California Hospital Association that would have prohibited Blue Cross of California from paying different fees to doctors who perform colonoscopies in outpatient surgery centers. The suit charged that the policy of paying an additional fee to network physicians who perform the procedure at ambulatory surgery centers versus hospitals was an unfair business practice and possibly dangerous. They said the guidelines forced doctors to place financial considerations above patient care. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Carl West, however, said the policy did not interfere with a doctor’s medical decisions. According to Woodland Hills-based Blue Cross of California, hospitals typically charge as much as three times more for a colonoscopy compared to ambulatory surgery centers.