Medicare and Medicaid programs; hospital conditions of participation: anesthesia services. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS. Final rule

This final rule amends the Anesthesia Services Condition of Participation (CoP) for hospitals, the Surgical Services Condition of Participation for Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), and the Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Conditions of Coverage Surgical Services. This final rule changes the physician supervision requirement for certified registered nurse anesthetists furnishing anesthesia services in hospitals, CAHs, and ASCs. Under this final rule, State laws will determine which professionals are permitted to administer anesthetics and the level of supervision required, recognizing a State's traditional domain in establishing professional licensure and scope-of-practice laws. States and hospitals are free to establish additional standards for professional practice and oversight as they deem necessary. The hospital anesthesia services CoP, CAH surgical services CoP, and the conforming change to the anesthesia Conditions of Coverage apply to all Medicare and Medicaid participating hospitals, CAHs, and ASCs.