Medicare Issues New Interpretive Guidelines Affecting Anesthesiology

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently updated the interpretive guidelines for hospital participation in the Medicare program. Several changes impact the delivery of anesthesia services within the hospital and will probably impact the practice of most anesthesiologists. The important revisions involve timing of a preoperative assessment, post-operative note, and a redefinition of labor neuraxial blocks as analgesia services, eliminating physician supervision requirements for nurse anesthetists and anesthesia assistants. ASA is currently reviewing these revisions and will provide additional information when available.

For additional information, please see this ASA posting.