Access to high-quality anesthesia care expands for Ohio patients

ROSEMONT, Ill., July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ohio patients now have increased access to safe anesthesia care. The state is the latest to opt out of Medicare physician supervision requirements for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).

With Gov. Mike DeWine's letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 10, Ohio becomes the 27^th state to opt-out of physician supervision.

"AANA applauds Gov. DeWine for prioritizing patient access and recognizing the important role CRNAs have in the delivery of safe anesthesia care in Ohio," said AANA President Jeff Molter, MBA, MSN, CRNA. "CRNAs are highly educated, highly trained anesthesia professionals who provide safe, high-quality care in every practice setting. This decision helps ensure patients throughout Ohio can continue to receive timely care close to home."

"The Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists (OSANA) applauds Gov. DeWine's decision to opt out of the federal supervision requirement," said OSANA President Kim Riviello, DNP, MBA, CRNA. "This is a significant win for Ohio patients. By removing an outdated federal requirement, Ohio will support patient access to care and enable healthcare facilities to fully utilize highly qualified nurse anesthesiologists to meet the needs of their communities."

In his letter to CMS, Gov. DeWine wrote, "I attest that I have consulted with the Ohio Board of Nursing and the State of Ohio Medical Board about issues related to access to and the quality of anesthesia services in Ohio. With the recent changes to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4723 as recently enacted in House Bill 52, the current physician supervision requirement is no longer needed as provided for in the federal regulations, and therefore Ohio opting out of the requirement is appropriate. This letter constitutes my formal notification of the State of Ohio opt-out."

Prior to receiving opt-out status, CRNAs in Ohio were granted the authority to work in collaboration with a physician, dentist or podiatrist with the passage of House Bill 52, which removed the antiquated requirement that CRNAs practice under "supervision" and went into effect on June 8, 2026. With this new opt-out status, Ohio CRNAs may practice without federal restrictions requiring physician supervision.

Nationally, CRNAs safely administer more than 58 million anesthetics to patients each year, serving in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered.

CRNAs are often the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural settings, enabling facilities in these medically underserved areas to offer obstetrical, surgical, pain management, and trauma stabilization services to patients. CRNAs have full practice authority in the Army, Navy, and Air Force and are the predominant provider of anesthesia on forward surgical teams and in combat support hospitals.

About American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA)

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) is the professional organization representing nearly 69,000 CRNAs who are anesthesia professionals that safely administer more than 58 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States. CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered: traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; ketamine clinics; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists; and U.S. military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities.

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SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology