Anesthesia

Private equity has had an increased presence in the anesthesia industry, as reimbursement declines and staffing shortages push more anesthesia practices toward consolidation. 

Both state and federal legislatures are tackling anesthesia-based bills in 2025. Here are four key pieces of legislation to know: 

Illinois state Rep. Bill Hauter, MD, a Republican, has sponsored a bill making it illegal for insurance companies to place a time limit on anesthesia payment coverage, according to a Jan. 21 report from NPR affiliate WGLT.

On Jan. 8, legislation was introduced in the Virginia House of Delegates that would eliminate supervision requirements for certified registered nurse anesthetists.

As anesthesia practices review the past year and plan ahead, analyzing core data and metrics retrospectively can shape future strategies and drive greater success.

With the passage of the American Relief Act, 2025, certain telehealth flexibilities initially introduced during the public health emergency (PHE) era have been extended. These provisions, however, are only authorized through March 31, 2025.

Legislation has been introduced in the Missouri House of Representatives that would prevent insurers in the state from limiting coverage for anesthesia, according to a Jan. 17 report from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Federal Trade Commission announced a settlement with Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe, the private equity firm backing U.S. Anesthesia Partners.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham's Heersink School of Medicine's department of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine has tapped Ryan Densmore, MD, as its director of non-operating room anesthesia. 

U.S. Anesthesia Partners Holdings and a Texas affiliate have secured a pretrial victory in a discrimination lawsuit brought by terminated employee David Axmann, MD, according to a Jan. 15 report from Bloomberg Law.