MetroHealthAnesthesia Blog

Restore fair payment to teaching programs

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) has introduced legislation, H.R. 2053, that would restore full payment to anesthesiology teaching programs. Please ask your Representative to co-sponsor this important legislation. The bill mirrors H.R. 5246/H.R. 5348, the Medicare anesthesiology teaching payment reform legislation from the 109th Congress.

As academic anesthesiology knows all too well, CMS slashes in half payment to teaching anesthesiologists who work with two residents on cases that overlap—even for a minute.
This misguided policy, in place since 1994, costs programs hundreds of thousands of dollars every year—hindering efforts to recruit and retain high-caliber teaching anesthesiologists, and ultimately weakening programs.

H.R. 2053 would reinstate full payment to ensure the viability of anesthesiology teaching programs throughout the country. Take action today in support of this important bill!

You may use the link:
http://capwiz.com/asa/issues/alert/?alertid=9688126&PROCESS=Take+Action

MetroHealthAnesthesia needs OR anesthesia internet access!

Twice last week I had to leave patient in OR to find computer to look up important information on the internet. Obviously, we need (and the trend in health care is toward) high speed (preferably wireless but any) internet access at the point(s) of patient care! For us, this means primarily in every OR at every anesthesia "work station" (formerly anesthesia machine).