It’s amazing to realize that 2025 will be here in a little more than a week. But as you can see from the news items below, AANA is keeping up the hard work and finishing 2024 strong with our usual focus on advocating for our members and our profession.
As we look ahead to 2025, we are excited to continue our work together, building on this year’s successes and meeting the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities that this new year will bring.
As this is the final Letter from the Board before the holidays, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a safe, happy, peaceful, season. Thank you for everything that you do for your patients, communities, and our profession. We are immensely proud to be a part of this amazing profession with you and grateful and humbled that you chose us to serve as your Board of Directors.
The AANA offices will be closed Tuesday, December 24, 2024, at noon (CT) through Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Our offices will reopen on Thursday, January 2, 2025, at 8 a.m. CT. Visit our Help Center for common member requests and answers. The next Letter from the Board of Directors will arrive in your inbox on January 13.
We look forward to serving you in 2025.
IN THIS ISSUE
Discriminatory Anesthesia Reimbursement Policy Dropped After AANA Action
AANA Urges Congress to Put Patients’ Care First
ASA, AANA Respond to Anthem BCBS' Reversal Of Controversial Anesthesia Policy
AANA Attends Governors Association Meetings
AANA Attends Two-Day National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice Meeting
Updated 2024 MIPS Eligibility Information Now Available
AANA Congratulates Jackie Rowles on Visionary of Medical Education Award Recognition
AANA Wellness and one CRNA’s Journey to Sobriety
ADVOCACY UPDATES
Discriminatory Anesthesia Reimbursement Policy Dropped After AANA Action
The AANA welcomes the reversal of a discriminatory anesthesia reimbursement policy enacted by Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington Options, Inc. Under the policy, reversed after AANA loudly opposed and drew public attention to its implementation, Kaiser would not reimburse anesthesia services when submitted without the appropriate modifiers identifying who performed the service, and that it would be reducing QZ services rendered by CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists to 85% of the Physician Fee Schedule, as reported by Becker’s Clinical Leadership.
The abrupt policy reversal came two days after AANA President Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC, released a statement condemning the policy. Read the AANA press release.
AANA Urges Congress to Put Patients’ Care First
On December 12, AANA called on federal lawmakers to prioritize the inclusion of key provisions of the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act (H.R. 2713/S. 2418) as Congress works to finalize year-end, must-pass legislation. In a letter to congressional leadership, AANA President Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC, highlighted the critical role CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists play in delivering anesthesia services. Read more.
ASA, AANA Respond to Anthem BCBS' Reversal Of Controversial Anesthesia Policy
The American Society of Anesthesiologists and AANA issued responses to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield's recent reversal of a policy update that would have introduced a new reimbursement structure based on CMS physician work time values. Claims exceeding these predetermined time limits would have been denied. The policy would have taken effect on Feb. 1, 2025, impacting anesthesia claims across Connecticut, New York, and Missouri. Read the Beckers ASC Review article.
AANA Attends Governors Association Meetings
This November and December, AANA leaders and AANA State Government Affairs (SGA) staff attended meetings of both the Democratic and Republican Governors Associations, taking the opportunity to meet with governors and educate them on the important role CRNAs play in their states’ healthcare systems. Next year, SGA staff will be attending Republican and Democratic Governor meetings in cities across the country, continuing to advocate for CRNA practice in the states.
In December, SGA staff attended the Democratic Association Annual Meeting and Holiday Party, hosted by California Governor Gavin Newsom in Los Angeles. SGA staff met with several governors and used the opportunity to educate them on CRNA practice, including the benefits of opting out from physician supervision of CRNAs, under Medicare Part A conditions of participation.
AANA President Janet Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC, and State Government Affairs staff attended the Republican Governors Association (RGA) Annual Conference in Marco Island, Florida in November. President Setnor and SGA staff met with several governors and used the opportunity to educate them on CRNA practice, including the need to fully utilize a state’s existing workforce.
Pictured: Elizabeth Bamgbose, PhD, CRNA, with California Governor Gavin Newsom at the Democratic Governors Association Meeting.
Pictured at the Republican Governors Association Conference are, left to right: AANA Associate Director, State and Political Affairs JP Mason; AANA Senior Director of State Government Affairs Sarah Chacko; New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, and AANA President Jan Setnor.
AANA Attends Two-Day National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice Meeting
Federal Government Affairs regulatory staff attended the two-day Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP) meeting last week. AANA member Nina McLain, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, currently serves on this Council. NACNEP advises Congress and the Secretary of HHS on policies to support and expand the workforce and nursing education. The Council is hosted by HRSA which dedicated over $305 million to their nursing programs in FY24, one of which is the Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship Program. NACNEP voted to finalize their 20th annual report to Congress and the Secretary, which will be published next month. NACNEP began brainstorming themes for their 21st report which included proposing an overhaul to the Graduate Nurse Education (GNE) structure to be better funded and sustainable – matching the Graduate Medical Education (GME) structure and removing barriers to nurse-led innovation.
Does Your State Have an Outstanding FPD?
Nominate an outstanding FPD for the Daniel D. Vigness Federal Political Director (FPD) of the Year Award. This award acknowledges a CRNA who has made significant contributions in advancing AANA’s federal healthcare agenda through state and federal grassroots political initiatives while serving as FPD for their state association. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 15, 2025.
January 15, 2025, is the deadline for nominations for the AANA 2025 Election (Membership Year 2026 term). Nominations may be made by a state association, a member may nominate another member, or a potential candidate may also nominate themself.
Voting is open from May 13 to May 27, 2025 (noon CT).
Open Positions:
President-elect (1-year term)
Vice President (1-year term)
Treasurer (1-year term)
Five Directors (2-year term)
Three Leadership Identification Committee members (2-year term)
Two Bylaws and Resolutions Committee members (2-year term)
CRNAs who are unable to report one or more Merit-based Incentive Program System (MIPS) categories for the 2024 performance year can apply for an Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) exception until December 31, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET. The MIPS EUC application is submitted when an individual CRNA or group is unable to report one or more performance categories. The MIPS Promoting Interoperability Hardship exception is for the Promoting Interoperability performance category alone. If you need additional help with the application process, contact the QPP Service Center at 1-866-288-8292, or QPP@cms.hhs.gov.
Updated 2024 MIPS Eligibility Information Now Available
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released updated eligibility information for CRNAs participating in Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), either individually or as part of a group. Your current eligibility status is based on the volume of Medicare services provided from October 1, 2023 – through September 30, 2024, and applies to the first quarter of Performance Year 2025. You can find your status by entering your National Provider Identification number in the QPP Participation Status webpage.
AANA Joins ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare
The AANA proudly joins the ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare (ALL IN), as a coalition member to support this groundbreaking initiative committed to improving the mental health and overall wellbeing of healthcare workers. ALL IN focuses on creating a supportive environment through evidence-based practices, peer support, and organizational strategies that reduce burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue. By joining this collective effort, AANA aims to collaborate on solutions that enhance healthcare worker wellbeing, which, in turn, will improve patient care and safety. Read more.
MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
AANA Congratulates Jackie Rowles on Visionary of Medical Education Award Recognition
Former AANA President Jackie Rowles, DNP, MBA, MA, CRNA, ANP-BC, NSPM-C, FNAP, FAANA, FAAN, was honored with the “Visionary of Medical Education Award” at Concierge Health International’s inaugural Illuminate Life Gala on December 3, 2024. This recognition highlights her remarkable work with the global nurse anesthesia charity she founded, Our Hearts Your Hands, Inc (OHYH). Read more.
AANA Wellness and one CRNA’s Journey to Sobriety
Bridget Petrillo, MS, APRN, CRNA, said she first heard about AANA Wellness in 1995, when she was a resident in a nurse anesthesiology educational program. At the time, she said she wasn’t necessarily paying attention to issues around wellness. “The good news is when I needed help, my colleagues and coworkers had been paying attention, and they knew what to do,” she said. 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.
American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology 10275 West Higgins Road, Suite 500 Rosemont, IL 60018
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