July 29, 2024

Dear Colleagues,

Next week, at the Annual Congress in San Diego, our term on the fiscal year 2024 Board of Directors will come to a close. This being the last message of an amazing year, want to express our deepest gratitude for the opportunity to serve this remarkable organization and its members. 

This year, we have had the privilege of meeting, working with, and learning from CRNAs and residents from across the country. The bonds we have formed with many of you will continue to inspire us long after our term has ended. Your dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the profession have been a constant source of motivation and pride. 

Our journey has been filled with numerous milestones and accomplishments, each one a testament to the collective efforts of our membership--from advocating for legislative and regulatory changes that enhance our practice to launching innovative educational programs. 

We are confident that the incoming fiscal year 2025 Board will lead the AANA to even greater heights. We encourage you to continue your active involvement, share your insights, and support the new leadership with the same enthusiasm and dedication you have shown us. 

Thank you for entrusting us with the responsibility of guiding this exceptional organization. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your Board of Directors. We look forward to witnessing the continued growth and success of the AANA and remain committed to supporting our profession in any way we can. 

With heartfelt gratitude and best wishes for the future, 

The AANA Board of Directors 

NOTE: Important Business Meeting Information – Starting today, Monday July 29, through Wednesday July 31, there is an opportunity to Test Your Tech to make sure you are comfortable with the Lumi platform for the Saturday, August 3 Business Meeting.  Check the Business Meeting page for more details. 

IN THIS ISSUE

• AANA Issues Statement on False Claims on Safety of CRNA Anesthesia Care 
• Medicare Agency Releases New Physician Fee Schedule Affecting Anesthesia Payment; AANA Reviewing in Depth 
• AANA Issues Statement on CMS Physician Fee Schedule Reductions  
• CMS Issues CY 2024 Hospital Outpatient and ASC Payment Rules 
• AANA Attends National Governors Association Meeting  
• AANA Attends American Legislative Exchange Council’s Annual Meeting 
• Help Elect Nurses and Nursing Champions to Office  
• Are You Registered to Vote?  
• Oppose Legislation Harming Veterans' Access to Care 
• AANA Appoints Shayne Hauglum as Chief Science and Practice Officer 
• CRNAs Make a Difference in Patients’ Lives on “Take My Tumor” 
• AANA Applauds Appointment of CRNA Kelli Camp as Pro Tem Member of Washington State Board of Nursing

ADVOCACY UPDATES

AANA Statement on False Claims on Safety of CRNA Anesthesia Care

The AANA issued the following statement regarding the quality and safety of anesthesia care: 

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), also known as nurse anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists, safely administer more than 50 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States.  

Because of this stellar safety record, AANA was dismayed to see erroneous reports by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) based off a Medicare surveyor report that is pending investigation. Not only does the ASA statement ignore decades of research and practical experience, but the continual sharing of misinformation and fearmongering by our physician anesthesia colleagues is dangerous and does nothing to improve patient care. Read the entire statement.

Medicare Agency Releases New Physician Fee Schedule Affecting Anesthesia Payment; AANA Reviewing in Depth

Medicare released its 2025 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rules that affect clinician payment on Wednesday, July 10. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates the 2025 national anesthesia conversion factor (CF) to be $20.3340, down from last year’s payment rate of $20.7739. In this year’s proposed rule, CMS also estimates that the regular physician CF for CY 2025 is estimated to be $32.3562, down from last year’s payment rate of $33.2875.

According to Table 128 starting on page 1561, allowed 2025 charges for anesthesiology are $1.488 billion, a 2% increase in the combined impact on total allowed charges of all the proposed RVU changes, and for nurse anesthetist/anesthesiologist assistant allowed 2025 charges are $987 million, a 1% increase in the combined impact on total allowed charges of all the proposed RVU changes. (Though the overall allowed charge for anesthesiology is different than for CRNAs, they will both be subject to the same anesthesia conversion factor.)  CMS states that these increases are largely “attributed to the Year 4 update to clinical labor pricing and/or the proposed adjustments to transfer of postoperative care for global surgical procedures.” 

AANA is reviewing these proposed rules in depth and will be issuing comments in time for the public comment period due September 9. See the news item below for a link to the AANA statement. 

AANA Issues Statement on CMS Physician Fee Schedule Reductions

On July 16, the AANA issued a statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for the 2025 Fiscal Year (FY25):   
  
“AANA is deeply concerned by the proposed cuts by CMS to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2025, particularly the 2.1% reduction to the anesthesia conversion factor (CF). These proposed reductions in reimbursement threaten patient access to critical anesthesia services, particularly in rural and underserved areas where Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), also known as nurse anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists, play a vital role and where more Medicare and Medicaid patients reside. In these facilities, anesthesia care is already underfunded, and further cuts will exacerbate existing challenges.” Read the entire statement. 

CMS Issues CY 2024 Hospital Outpatient and ASC Payment Rules

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the 2025 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs proposed rules as well as a fact sheet to further explain what is included in this year’s rules. This proposed rule describes changes to the amounts and the factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment system. 

Comments are due on September 9, and the AANA Federal Government Affairs team is currently reviewing this proposed rule in depth for possible impacts on CRNA practice and reimbursement during the public comment period.   

AANA Attends National Governors Association Meeting 

AANA State Government Affairs (SGA) staff attended the National Governors Association 2024 Summer Meeting, held in Salt Lake City July 11-12. As part of the meeting, SGA staff attended receptions for the Democratic Governors Association and the Republican Governors Association. The receptions allowed SGA staff to speak with governors and their staff about the important role CRNAs play in healthcare, in terms of increased access and lower costs.  

AANA Attends American Legislative Exchange Council’s Annual Meeting

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is America’s largest nonpartisan, voluntary membership organization, comprised of nearly one-quarter of state legislators and private sector stakeholders. On July 24-26, ALEC held its annual meeting in Denver, Col., and AANA State Government Affairs (SGA) staff were in attendance. As a member of ALEC’s Health & Human Services (HHS) Taskforce, the AANA has a voice in shaping model policy for legislators to introduce in states across the country. Since 2005, 38 states have enacted ALEC HHS Taskforce model policy. The annual meeting served as a great opportunity for SGA staff to make connections with other outside groups who support issues important to CRNAs.  

Help Elect Nurses and Nursing Champions to Office

Electing nurses and nursing champions to public office is a top goal of the CRNA-PAC’s Nursing Votes initiative. Now, we are making it easier for AANA members and the public at large to help us achieve this goal. Click here to make a direct contribution to CRNAs, other nurses, and nursing champions who understand the value that you bring to patients and the U.S. healthcare system. Will you do your part to help elect our leaders to state and federal office today?  

Are You Registered to Vote?

With the general election coming up in November, now is the time to make sure you’re ready for your voice to be heard. You can register to vote, check your registration status, get your options for in-person and absentee voting, and see who’s up for re/election in your state and district at https://p2a.co/crnasvote.

Oppose Legislation Harming Veterans' Access to Care

Last year, Representatives David Scott (D-GA), Mike Turner (R-OH), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), and Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced a bill ironically named the Protect Lifesaving Anesthesia Care for Veterans Act of 2023 (H.R. 3347/S. 2070), which will harm access to critical healthcare services for our veterans.  

Tell your U.S. representative and senators that you oppose this harmful legislation today.  

• Click here  

• You will be directed to a prewritten email to your legislators. Please personalize the email so that it’s not seen as a form letter. Be sure to keep the tone professional.   

• Click “send email.”  

• Share the link with your friends and family so they can contact their legislators as well.   

SIGNIFICANT NEWS

AANA Appoints Shayne Hauglum as Chief Science and Practice Officer

The AANA has named Shayne Hauglum, PhD, CRNA, APRN, to serve as AANA’s Chief Science and Practice Officer. He will report to Chief Executive Officer Bill Bruce, MBA, CAE, effective September 30, 2024.  

In this role, Dr. Hauglum will oversee AANA’s Professional Education Division, Research and Quality Division, Scholarly Publications, AANA Journal, Professional Practice Division, and its Academy of Nurse Anesthesia Fellows. Read more. 

MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

CRNAs Make a Difference in Patients’ Lives on “Take My Tumor”

In his practice, California-based surgeon Ryan Osborne, MD, FACS, has been taking on rare and unusual head and neck oncology cases for a long time. He primarily uses CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists to provide anesthesia during surgeries.  

“I do very difficult cases,” said Dr. Osborne, Director of Head and Neck Surgery at the Osborne Head and Neck Institute in Los Angeles. “I need people who are going to be thorough and comprehensive, and in my personal experience, I’ve found that to be CRNAs.” Read more.  

AANA Applauds Appointment of CRNA Kelli Camp as Pro Tem Member of Washington State Board of Nursing

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) congratulates Kelli Camp, MSN, CRNA, ARNP, for her appointment as pro tem member of the Washington State Board of Nursing. Camp has been an AANA member since 2009. 

The Washington State Board of Nursing serves a pivotal role in ensuring the integrity of the nursing profession. Its primary mission is to protect public health and safety by developing standards for safe nursing care and promoting high levels of professional conduct. This is achieved through rigorous licensing, regulatory functions, and providing guidance to nurses throughout their careers. Read more. 

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