The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology has responded to a brief the American Society of Anesthesiologists filed in response to a discrimination lawsuit.
In February, the ASA submitted an amicus brief in support of HSS’ attempt to dismiss a complaint issued by the AANA.
In AANA’s non-discrimination lawsuit, the group asserted that there are no differences between anesthesiologists and CRNAs.
The ASA issued a brief “correcting” AANA’s assertions, noting that 45 states require physician oversight of CRNAs, anesthesiologists have almost five times the hours of clinical training and nearly double the education of nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists are not interchangeable.
AANA’s complaint requests that the government enforce the provider nondiscrimination provision of the ACA, claiming that nurse anesthetists are facing discrimination from insurers and health plans based solely upon their license, which is in violation of the ACA, according to a March 10 press release.
“ASA’s brief aims to maintain a petty turf war the ASA has initiated against AANA over anesthesia care by advancing its baseless claims that physician anesthesia providers provide superior services to nurse anesthesia providers,” the release reads. “ASA, however, provided no studies, exhibits, or cited any evidence to support its claims of superiority.”
CRNAs administer more than 58 million anesthetics to patients each year in the U.S., according to the release.
