Urgent: Oppose HB 2674 & SB 1263 for Anesthesia Practice in Arizona
80 so far! Help us get to 100 signers!
I am writing to urge your careful consideration and opposition to HB 2674 and SB 1263, as they pose a grave threat to anesthesia practice in Arizona, with far-reaching implications for patient care, fair market competition, and access to services, particularly in underserved rural areas.
Here are the key points:
1. **Differential Training:**
- CRNAs undergo rigorous training to become independent anesthesia providers.
- AAs must practice under physician supervision, lacking the comprehensive education and training of CRNAs and physician anesthesiologists.
2. **Anti-Competitive Nature:**
- HB 2674 and SB 1263 favor physician anesthesiologists by granting them exclusive access to assistants.
- This unfairly tilts the market dynamics, compromising fair competition and potentially limiting patient choice.
3. **Impact on Rural Access to Care:**
- CRNAs provide over 80% of anesthesia services in rural areas, addressing critical healthcare needs.
- Restricting AAs to practice only under physician supervision fails to address the anesthesia shortage in underserved regions, exacerbating healthcare disparities.
4. **Anesthesia Shortage:**
- CRNA programs struggle to retain nurse anesthesia residents (NARs) due to limited clinical training sites.
- HB 2674 and SB 1263 could drive CRNA residents out of state for training, worsening the shortage of qualified providers in Arizona.
5. **Impact on CRNA Training Sites:**
- Restricting operating room access to AAs limits opportunities for CRNA residents to gain essential clinical experience.
- This further exacerbates the shortage of qualified anesthesia providers in the state.
In light of these concerns, I implore you to carefully review the potential negative consequences of HB 2674 and SB 1263 on anesthesia practice in Arizona and to vote against these bills. It is essential to prioritize patient safety, equitable access to care, and the sustainability of anesthesia services across the state.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. I urge you to stand with healthcare providers and patients alike by opposing HB 2674 and SB 1263.
