Anesthesia

Aetna will no longer provide additional payment for physical status modifier 3-5 on anesthesia claims, according to an April 19 post by medical revenue cycle management group Coronis Health.

Here are three major concerns plaguing the anesthesia industry. 

The average annual salary for anesthesiologists has increased from $261,730 in 2019 to $339,470 in 2023, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Anesthesiologists have the highest annual mean wage in offices of physicians, according to updated data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Here are five statistics highlighting private equity's influence in anesthesia:

Raynaldo Ortiz Jr., MD, a former anesthesiologist at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas, has been found guilty on 10 counts of tampering with IV bags and the adulteration of drugs, NBC affiliate KXAS reported April 12. 

The highest-paid anesthesiologist in New Orleans earns $781,900 per year, according to Medscape's salary reporter tool, which is much higher than the mean annual wage of $339,470 anesthesiologists make according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

California has 5,380 anesthesiologists, the most of any state, according to May 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The trial for Raynaldo Ortiz Jr., MD, an anesthesiologist accused of injecting drugs into IV bags at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas leading to 11 patients' cardiac arrest, began April 1, NBC affiliate KXAS reported April 4.

The average annual wage for a nurse anesthetist in the U.S. is $214,200.