ASA Concerned About ‘Medicare for All’ Proposal

August 16, 2019 by Dr. Clemens Leave a Comment

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) issued a press release expressing “serious concerns” about the concept of “Medicare for All.” Medicare for All legislation was set to be the subject of a hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Rules on the day of the ASA press release.

Medicare for All proposes that all private insurance be eliminated and a nationwide, single-payor system be created over a two-year transition in which Medicare age eligibility requirements are eliminated.

“A system utilizing Medicare payment rates would be devastating to our practices,” said ASA President Linda J. Mason, MD, FASA, in the press release. “Medicare payments for anesthesia have been inadequate and deeply flawed for many years, a situation specific to anesthesiology. Under Medicare, anesthesia services are only paid 33% of private insurance payment rates, the lowest rate among all health care services. On average other services are paid at 75% of private payment rates. This is a persistent challenge our specialty faces, and the Medicare for All legislation would significantly exacerbate this issue.

“We will continue to advocate for fair payment for anesthesia services while ensuring patient access to high-quality care.”

The ASA has undertaken “extensive discussions” with members of Congress as well as members of the House Congressional Progressive Caucus, the principal proponent of Medicare for All. In the press release, the society vowed to “continue to be active in any discussions regarding proposals to improve access to health care services in our country.”

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