ASA Strongly Opposes Recent Blue Cross Blue Shield Policy Change to Physical Status Modifiers

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has announced a departure from previous policies related to ASA’s physical status modifiers in many states across the country. According to the policy change, BCBS will no longer provide additional payment for physical status modifiers after June 1, 2024. ASA strongly opposes this policy change and will be actively pursuing its reversal.

Physical status modifiers were developed by ASA for use to assess and report a patient’s pre-anesthesia medical co-morbidities. The physical status modifiers classify the level of complexity of the anesthesia care and can be added to the base values for additional payment for complex patients. 

BCBS state affiliates, including those in Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Montana and New Mexico have already announced that they will be discontinuing use of physical status modifiers, effective June 1 (see individual state announcements below). If you have been contacted by your BCBS state affiliate or another payer regarding these policy changes, please contact us at [email protected].

Read ASA’s Statement on ASA Physical Status Classification System.

Contact the ASA Department of Payment and Practice Management at [email protected] with any questions.

BCBS State Announcements:
BCBS of Texas
BCBS of Illinois
BCBS of Montana
BCBS of Oklahoma
BCBS of New Mexico

Note: list updated on April 19 to add New Mexico to the states impacted.