The bill, known as Senate Bill No. 1019, aims to enhance health insurance coverage for anesthesia services in Oklahoma. It introduces a new section to the Oklahoma Statutes that defines key terms related to anesthesia, including "anesthesia time," which is the duration from when an anesthesia practitioner begins preparing a patient until they finish providing anesthesia services. The bill also outlines how payments for anesthesia services should be calculated based on established medical coding and billing standards.
Furthermore, the bill prohibits insurers from imposing time limits on covered anesthesia services during medical or surgical procedures and prevents them from restricting or excluding coverage for anesthesia time. This legislation is set to take effect on November 1, 2025, following its passage in the Senate on March 12, 2025.