The physician was accused of pressuring Medicare patients into undergoing treatment they did not need. One patient allegedly received 42 different stents over an eight-year period.
The California Franchise Tax Board had charged that the rad and his sole proprietorship could be combined to constitute a "unitary business," subject to state taxation.
Anthem defended the policy in response to the lawsuit, contending patients shouldn’t have to worry about surprise medical bills when visiting in-network hospitals.
The insurance arm of UnitedHealth Group said the shift is part of its ongoing effort to eliminate the barriers between care delivery and medical coverage. The full list of services exempt from prior authorizations includes diagnostic tests and many outpatient surgeries.