April 20, 2026

Dear Colleagues, 

Mid-Year Assembly is almost here, and we look forward to connecting with many of you later this week.  

We are grateful to those of you taking time away from busy work, school, and family schedules to join us at this important and exciting meeting.  

In addition to opportunities to learn about state and federal issues and visit legislators on Capitol Hill, the Mid-Year Assembly is also a time to honor outstanding achievements in federal and state government advocacy. Congratulations to: 

• Jennifer Andersen, MSNA, CRNA, this year’s Daniel D. Vigness Federal Political Director of the Year Award winner. 

• Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists (OSANA) winner of the 2026 Excellence in State Government Relations Advocacy Award. 

As always, AANA will continue to advocate for CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist practice, advance our profession, and support our members at each level of your career.  

Sincerely, 

The AANA Board of Directors

In This Issue

• Proposed Nursing Cuts in President’s Budget 

• Mandamus Appeal Update    

• Anthem Announces New Moderate Sedation Bundling Policy   

• CRNA-PAC Wins Four Pollie Awards  

• The 2026 AANA Practice Profile, Compensation & Benefits Member Survey is Now Open 

• AANA Announces 2026 Fellows 

Advocacy Updates 

Proposed Nursing Cuts in President’s Budget

The annual President’s Budget (PB) released last Friday proposed cutting all funding for Nursing Workforce Programs, except for the Nurse Corps program. The Nurse Corps is a federal program managed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that provides scholarships and loan repayment to nurses and nursing students in exchange for service in high-need, underserved communities.

The PB-proposed cuts would result in a total of $212.8 million, or roughly 70% of funding for Title VIII being cut. Additionally, the PB proposes cutting $60 million from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and more than $266 million from the National Health Service Corps, including scholarships for disadvantaged students. The Administration proposed similar cuts in last year’s budget, but the AANA worked closely with other members of the Nursing Community Coalition to stop those cuts and maintain level funding for FY26.

As the FY2027 appropriations process continues, AANA’s FGA team in DC will continue tracking these proposed cuts and advocating for CRNA priorities.

Mandamus Appeal Update

AANA filed its appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, continuing the fight to compel the government to enforce the ACA's provider non-discrimination provision and protect CRNAs from discriminatory reimbursement practices. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit will hear oral arguments regarding the appeal on June 4, 2026.

AANA remains committed to advocating for our members and will continue to provide updates as this case progresses.

Anthem Announces New Moderate Sedation Bundling Policy

On April 1, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) announced a new policy to go into effect on July 1, under which Anthem will only reimburse facilities for moderate sedation as part of the procedure or facility fee, rather than separately under multiple billing codes. This policy applies to the following states: Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Ohio.

Anthem cites CMS’ Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) reimbursement methodology in its policy announcement. Specifically, the new Anthem policy will include the following facility-related requirements:

• Separate reimbursement is not allowed for recovery room services (revenue code 0710) when billed with moderate sedation.  

• Moderate sedation codes will not be reimbursed when reported on UB‑04.  

• Anesthesia revenue codes 037X must be billed with a HCPCS/CPT® code when submitted with radiology or diagnostic revenue codes.  

AANA will continue to analyze this policy change and provide technical and operational impacts and updates in the coming weeks.  

CRNA-PAC Wins Four Pollie Awards

Presented each year by the American Association of Political Consultants, the Pollie Awards  honor the most effective, creative, and results-driven work in political communications and issue advocacy. Two CRNA-PAC campaigns were honored with a total of four Pollie Awards.   

2025 Summer Fundraising Campaign:   

• Silver Pollie Award for Best Fundraising for Non-Profit Organization/Trade Association Fundraising  

• Silver Pollie Award for Best Use of Email Fundraising  

CRNA-PAC Annual Report:

• Bronze Pollie Award for Best Non-Mail Brochure  

• Bronze Pollie Award for Best Use of Email Marketing (non-fundraising)   

For more information about CRNA-PAC or to make your 2026 contribution, visit www.CRNA-PAC.com.   

Significant News

The 2026 AANA Practice Profile, Compensation & Benefits Member Survey is Now Open

AANA is seeking your input via the 2026 AANA Practice Profile, Compensation & Benefits Member Survey. The survey is open until May 15. The data collected from this survey is anonymous and is used to calculate statistics and trends for various geographic areas and practice settings. Each year, CRNAs, hospital administrators and others who employ CRNAs contact the AANA for information on CRNA benefits and compensation. This information helps them understand CRNA practice and employment across the country. 

Once you complete the survey, provide your contact information via a separate form to receive your free report. Complete the Survey.

Member Highlights

AANA Announces 2026 Fellows

The AANA announced that it has selected 42 new distinguished leaders in the nurse anesthesiology profession as candidates to be inducted into the 2026 Class of Fellows. The inductees will be honored for their significant contributions to the profession at the AANA Annual Congress on Aug. 21-25, in Boston, Massachusetts. Read more. 

The following is an FEC required legal notification for CRNA-PAC. Gifts to political action committees are not tax deductible. Contributions to CRNA-PAC are for political purposes. All contributions to CRNA-PAC are voluntary. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal. The guidelines are merely suggestions. You are free to contribute more or less than the guidelines suggest and the association will not favor or disadvantage you by reason of the amount contributed or the decision not to contribute. Federal law requires CRNA-PAC to use its best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and the name of the employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year. Each contributor must be a US Citizen.