The Public Health Program and Institute of Rural Health at Idaho State University will be collecting data on the Rural Pass-Through and invite ASA members to participate

The Public Health Program and Institute of Rural Health at Idaho State University is now surveying ASA members to investigate what proportion of Active and Resident ASA membership holders would seriously consider converting their practices to Rural Pass-Through eligible locations if CMS rules are changed to allow anesthesiologists to participate in the Rural Pass-Through.  They are now collecting demographic and practice preference information about respondents to better understand the determinants influencing participants' practice preference decisions.  Please participate and we appreciate your taking the time to make your voice heard!

The Rural Pass-Through

Medicare payments for the services of anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists are generally made on the basis of the Medicare physician fee-schedule. However, there is an alternative payment mechanism that is available to some anesthesia providers.  As part of a law enacted in 1986, the services of nurse anesthetists may be paid on a reasonable-cost basis when performed in certain rural hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAH). This payment mechanism is known as the “rural pass-through.”  Approximately 600 facilities throughout the United States participate in this program.  Payments are limited to one full-time equivalent (FTE) nurse anesthetist.  The services of anesthesiologists are not eligible for payment under this payment mechanism.

A study of 2009 Medicare hospital cost reports reported that Medicare made reasonable cost-based payments to individual hospitals ranging from $113 to $736,084 annually for the services of one FTE nurse anesthetist.  The same study concluded that Medicare spends approximately $35 million annually in total cost-based payments under this program.

Legislation pending in the U.S. Congress would enhance the rural pass-through program by also allowing Medicare to pay for the services of anesthesiologists.

Click here if you do not know if you are an Active or Resident member.

Participate now (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ISURuralPassThroughSurvey).