Practice Issues

Since the moderators closed the thread about CRNA attitudes ..............

Cogent points, all, my dear yoda.

The 'Attitude' OP was IMHO not a CRNA at all, simply a poser and a provocateur. Witness the cross-posting to SDN, hoping to stir up a flame fest. Who do we know who so zealously carries the A$A banner? Some jerk?

Nothing more than my humble opinion, dear moderators.

??

I agree with you deep. It is too bad the original poster did not have the courage to own up to his identity. I have quite had it with others trying to define our practice and don't have any respect for our own, including non-CRNA nurses who buy into the negative sterotypes. I have always wondered why RNs can not stick together like the MDs do. If we would learn how to do that, a lot of our respect issues would be gone.

Yoga

Cogent points, all, my dear yoda.

The 'Attitude' OP was IMHO not a CRNA at all, simply a poser and a provocateur. Witness the cross-posting to SDN, hoping to stir up a flame fest. Who do we know who so zealously carries the A$A banner? Some jerk?

Nothing more than my humble opinion, dear moderators.

??

Cogent points, all, my dear yoda.

The 'Attitude' OP was IMHO not a CRNA at all, simply a poser and a provocateur. Witness the cross-posting to SDN, hoping to stir up a flame fest. Who do we know who so zealously carries the A$A banner? Some jerk?

Nothing more than my humble opinion, dear moderators.

??

I am kind of confused about a CRNA's level of independance in non-opt out states. Can someone explain what the op-out is exactly?

Thanks

I agree Deepz, it probably was a troll. Unfortunately I let it get away from me. Thank you Yoga for your well stated views. I agree with you whole heartedly.

Craig

Opt-out is a Medicare reimbursement issue and NOTHING ELSE. It is not a practice issue or an independence isssue. State law dictates nurse anesthetist practice. Opt-out is related to how a hospital is going to get reimbursed for CRNA administered anesthesia, under Part A. By the way, CRNAs receive full reimbursement for administering anesthesia under Part B--professional services. I practice in a state that has NOT opted out and receive direct payment for administering anesthesia for Medicare patients. The checks come to me, not a facility or an anesthesiologist.

Medicare reimbursement is complicated and I have personal experience with negotiating for CRNA reimbursement with them. There is excellent information on the AANA website. Take advantage of the work our Washington DC office is doing for us. They have the information and are happy to share it.

An interesting aside, I read on the AANA website that Medicare is considering a 4% reduction in payment. Seeing that my business expenses are increasing, that is could be a significant issue. AANA is working on it.

Yoga

I am kind of confused about a CRNA's level of independance in non-opt out states. Can someone explain what the op-out is exactly?

Thanks

i missed the parts that were personal attacks requiring moderator intervention. and yes i agree as i stated in my post, not a very pro crna anything to actually be a crna.

as for clarification, i am a srna, 11 days to graduation and i have rotated through 8-10 different hospitals in the last 2, and worked in 5 more as an icu nurse over the last 8 years years and have met many a different crnas, mdas, srnas, although i am NOT a crna the ability to observe the practice settings, discuss with preceptors and other srnas it is not hard to derive a personal opinion of anesthesia practice that one is exposed to and to come to an educated conclusion about the practice.

i edited this to add also that i have researched and been exposed through lectures and being national student representative to the aana crna pac committee and having been an attendee to the aana midyear assembly in wash dc and attended meetings on capital hill, i feel that i am fairly educated about the issues that crnas face today.

d