Lawsuits, settlements, and billing disputes — anesthesia providers are at the center of several high-stakes policy fights. Here’s a look into 10 controversies shaping the anesthesia space in 2026: 1. The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology said July 21 that…
Anesthesia
From facility penalties to time caps, anesthesiologists have spent the last two years absorbing insurer workarounds aimed, directly or indirectly, at paying less for anesthesia care. According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the pattern is not a coincidence but…
ASC leaders facing scheduling gaps, turnover and friction between anesthesia and the surgical team often try to adjust the processes. An Aug. 13 white paper from North American Partners in Anesthesia argues that operational breakdowns in anesthesiology departments are often…
Anesthesia workforce shortages are driving case cancellations, room closures and lost surgical volume at ASCs nationwide, according to SedAssure’s 2026 Anesthesia Access and Sedation Survey, shared with Becker’s Aug. 12. The survey polled 150 ASC perioperative and administrative leaders across…
The anesthesia workforce shortage is not new news to ASCs and physicians – the projected shortage of anesthesiologists by 2036 will hit 6,300, and by 2033, the U.S. is projected to face a shortage of about 12,500 CRNAs, nearly 22%…
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Anesthesia has become one of the most persistent staffing headaches for ASCs and hospitals alike. It’s not just a bad labor market, but a pipeline problem stacked on top of an aging workforce, a bottlenecked training system and a reimbursement…
Over one year after Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield’s anesthesia time limit policy set off an industrywide backlash, the fight over how anesthesia care gets reimbursed is still unresolved. A commentary published July 14 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine…
Health systems, hospitals and professional groups nationwide named new anesthesiology leaders this month, with appointments spanning clinical directorships, department chairs, board seats and promotions across academic medical centers, children’s hospitals and medical device companies. 1. Jeff Small, MD, assistant professor…
Most physicians are paid according to relative value units tied to an office visit, exam or procedure, but anesthesiologists are not. Their compensation runs on a unit-based formula that reflects a procedure’s complexity, a patient’s medical condition and the amount…
Salt Lake City-based CHG Healthcare has acquired KREWE Anesthesia, a company specializing in CRNA staffing. KREWE Anesthesia, which was founded by practicing CRNAs, matches providers into single-role locum placements and ongoing managed services, according to an Aug. 11 news release…