Study Flags Anesthesiologists’ Role in ASC Surprise Billing

An April 15 study published in Health Affairs found surprise billing occurred in 8% of procedures at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and the average balance of each bill increased by 81% between 2014 and 2017. According to the study, bills for anesthesia administered either by physicians or certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) comprised 69% of the studied surprise bills.

Experts tell AIS Health that a very small number of anesthesiology practitioners drive most of the surprise billing and price distortion in ASCs, and only legislation can solve the problem.

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Peter Johnson

Peter Johnson

Peter has worked as a journalist since 2011 and has covered health care since 2020. At AIS Health, Peter covers trends in finance, business and policy that affect the health insurance and pharma sectors. For Health Plan Weekly, he covers all aspects of the U.S. health insurance sector, including employer-sponsored insurance, Medicaid managed care, Medicare Advantage and the Affordable Care Act individual marketplaces. In Radar on Drug Benefits, Peter covers the operations of (and conflicts between) pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical manufacturers, with a particular focus on pricing dynamics and market access. Before joining AIS Health, Peter covered transportation, public safety and local government for various outlets in Seattle, his hometown and current place of residence. He graduated with a B.A. from Colby College.

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