Astrophysicists had it right. Or so they thought. For decades, they held to certain assumptions about the early formation of the universe; but then came along the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which purportedly allows astronomers to look deeper into the past than what had heretofore been possible. And what the JWST is revealing is […]
The notion of a fair market value (FMV) analysis is very common in real estate. The intent is to determine the price that a reasonable buyer should pay a qualified seller for a property. What does the concept have to do with anesthesia practices? The fact is that CMS guidelines require an FMV to ensure […]
The trend continues. At least as it concerns Medicare, times are getting harder for anesthesia providers in the context of pain injection procedures. As you will recall, Medicare published a policy three years ago, advising that anesthesia for facet joint interventions would rarely be reimbursed. The policy was worded thusly: General anesthesia is considered not […]
Three years ago, anesthesia practices experienced one of the worst budgetary challenges ever when the coronavirus pandemic forced a dramatic reduction in surgical case volume. It was an example of an external market factor completely beyond the control of anesthesia providers. Now that the impact of Covid-19 has more or less slipped into history, a […]
Anesthesia providers distinguish themselves by virtue of their ability to manage all types of pain. While most of their time and energy is focused on the acute pain related to surgical procedures and deliveries, many providers also consider themselves qualified to manage chronic intractable pain. The result can be two very distinct types of practice. […]
According to an April bulletin published by Aetna, the payer will no longer reimburse additional unit value(s) for anesthesia physical status (PS) modifiers, effective July 15, 2024. Aetna gave as a reason for the decision its desire to align with similar Medicare guidelines. It should be noted that this change will only affect Aetna’s commercial […]
There is clearly a shortage of anesthesia providers in the country today. This a a result of a variety of factors including the pandemic, dramatic increases in the number of anesthetizing locations and provider lifestyle choices. According to various sources, by 2033, the anesthesiology workforce may experience a shortage of approximately 12,500 anesthesiologists, representing nearly […]
It was one of those end-of-an-era moments. Standing in the well of the House, before a joint session of Congress, was the “American Caesar,” General Douglas McArthur, bidding farewell to the nation after 52 years of service. First in his class at West Point, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor and Military Governor of […]
Anesthesia providers should be well trained to respond appropriately to any unanticipated clinical complication that occurs during a case. Vigilance is the key to effective anesthesia care. They know that things can go wrong even during what should be an uncomplicated surgical procedure. After all, while the surgeon is only focused on a very specific […]
