Blue Cross Plans Changes in Doctor Payments

Blue Cross of California Cos. in Woodland Hills, the state’s largest health insurer, said it would adopt new payment arrangements with some of its physicians beginning this spring.

The plans include new ways of reimbursing doctors for office visits, increasing the amounts to be paid for the more common types of office visits and decreasing payments for other kinds of visits to doctors. It will also lower maximum payments made to some specialists but that will have no effect on most maternity-care payments.

The payment changes will affect doctors in Blue Cross’ preferred provider organization, called the Prudent Buyer Plan, which has nearly 2 million members.

Blue Cross said the changes were designed to help reduce the cost of health-care coverage.