AANA Congratulates New HHS Secretary, Urges Fair Reimbursement Policies for Advanced Practice Providers

PARK RIDGE, Ill. (AANA)—The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) and the nation’s 57,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists congratulate Xavier Becerra on his confirmation as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The AANA is committed to working with Becerra and his staff to reduce barriers to CRNA practice, which will help expand access to care and make healthcare more affordable for all.

In a March 22 letter to Secretary Becerra, the AANA laid out its top recommendations for reducing barriers to CRNA practice. They include urging HHS to promulgate a regulation that will end the problematic practice of health plans issuing anesthesia reimbursement policies that result in discrimination against CRNAs and other advanced practice providers with respect to participation in and coverage of procedures that are clearly included in their state scope of practice. Ending this practice by health insurers will increase access to high-quality care and lower healthcare costs for millions of patients.

“When health plans organize their healthcare delivery in such a way that they discriminate against whole classes of qualified licensed healthcare professionals by licensure, for example, by prohibiting reimbursement for anesthesia and pain management services provided by CRNAs, patient access to care is impaired, consumer choice suffers, and healthcare costs climb for lack of competition,” wrote AANA Chief Executive Officer Randall D. Moore, DNP, CRNA, MBA, in the letter to Becerra. “Additionally, such discrimination provides incentives for the use of higher-cost providers without improving quality or access to care.”

The AANA also urged Becerra to make the temporary waiver regarding CRNA supervision requirements permanent. During the Public Health Emergency (PHE), a number of rules and regulations related to healthcare have been temporarily suspended to maximize the healthcare workforce to deal with the overwhelming demand brought on by COVID-19. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, waivers granted by governors and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have enabled CRNAs to practice to the top of their education and licensure. CRNAs have saved countless lives using their expertise in anesthesia, critical care, and airway and ventilation management on the front lines of care.

“The COVID-19 public health emergency has shown the important need for healthcare professionals to care for patients and also highlights the important role that CRNAs play in our healthcare system, especially when workforce barriers to practice are eliminated,” Moore wrote.

CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses who administer more than 49 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States. Nurse anesthetists have provided anesthesia in the United States for 150 years and are the primary providers of anesthesia in the U.S. Armed Services. They are also the primary anesthesia providers in rural areas, where they ensure access to critical obstetrical, surgical, trauma stabilization, and pain management services.