Message from the President

september 2026

Fellow PSA Members: 

CMS PROPOSED DECREASES TO ANESTHESIA PAYMENTS FOR 2027

Anesthesiologists are once again confronting a proposed Medicare reimbursement reduction. Under the proposed 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, the anesthesia conversion factor would decrease approximately 1.38% from its 2026 level.

Another percentage reduction is not merely a billing or practice-management issue. Medicare payment policy affects whether hospitals and anesthesia practices can recruit and retain clinicians, maintain staffing, and provide timely access to care.

The impact is especially significant for Pennsylvania’s rural and community hospitals. When reimbursement does not keep pace with the rising cost and complexity of care, operating-room capacity may be constrained, procedures delayed, and essential services threatened.

PSA, alongside the American Society of Anesthesiologists, will continue advocating for Medicare payment reform that provides stability and recognizes the value anesthesiologists bring to patients and the health care system.

A promising bipartisan response is the recently introduced Patients First Act (H.R. 9693), led by Pennsylvania Congressman John Joyce, MD, together with Representatives Greg Murphy, MD, and Kim Schrier, MD. Rather than relying on temporary annual payment patches, the Patients First Act offers a path toward a predictable Medicare payment system that physicians and patients need.

Effective advocacy requires the participation of individual physicians. I encourage every PSA member to:

• Submit your comments directly to CMS and reference file code CMS-1848-P for the proposed Medicare payment cuts. The complete docket and previously submitted comments are available here. Deadline is September 14.
• Contact your members of Congress about how declining reimbursement affects your practice and patients.
• Invite a legislator to visit your hospital or anesthesia department.
• Share examples of staffing shortages, delayed procedures, service reductions, or other access challenges with PSA and ASA.
• Donate to ASAPAC and ZPAC so we can continue to be a strong advocate for issues such as this.

You do not need to be a policy expert to be an effective advocate. Simply explain what you see every day. A personal account from a practicing physician is a powerful way to communicate policy consequences. Our advocacy is not about protecting a billing code or fee-schedule line. It is about protecting patients’ access to safe, timely, physician-led anesthesia care.

PENNSYLVANIA ANESTHESIOLOGY RESIDENT RESEARCH COMPETITION

The Pennsylvania Anesthesiology Resident Research Competition (PARRC) will return in 2027 at the PSA Annual Business Meeting in Hershey. The PSA is pleased to partner with the anesthesiology residency programs in Pennsylvania to provide a local opportunity for residents to present original research or a case report.  Please keep this in mind throughout the fall, especially for interesting cases, and plan to submit for inclusion once the submission window opens in early 2027.

As always, please reach out with any feedback or concerns that we may be able to help with. We are here working for you!

Adam Childers, MD, FASA, FCPP

president@psanes.org 

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