Rep. Ritchie Torres Reintroduces the Anesthesia for All Act

Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) reintroduced the Anesthesia for All Act, legislation that would prohibit health insurers from imposing arbitrary time limits on reimbursement for anesthesia services and ensure coverage is based solely on medical necessity.

The bill would bar insurers from denying or reducing payment because anesthesia care lasts longer than a preset limit. Instead, reimbursement would reflect what the attending anesthesiologist or licensed anesthesia provider determines is medically necessary for a safe procedure. These protections would apply across private health plans, Medicaid managed care, and other major insurance programs.

Anesthesia services often vary in length based on individual patient needs, surgical complications, or underlying medical conditions. Time caps can undermine patient safety, interfere with medical judgment, and leave families with unexpected medical bills. The Anesthesia for All Act would ensure that patients receive the full duration of anesthesia required for their procedure without insurer interference.

“We have seen insurers attempt to micromanage the length of anesthesia care,” said Rep. Torres. “That is not medicine; it is cost cutting at the expense of patient safety. The Anesthesia for All Act ensures that decisions about anesthesia are made by medical professionals, not insurance companies.”

“The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology is proud to support the Anesthesia for All Act and we are grateful to Congressman Torres for reintroducing this important legislation,” said American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology President Jeffrey Molter, MSN, MBA, CRNA. “This legislation is an important part of holding insurers accountable for covering these necessary services and protecting patients and anesthesia providers like Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.”

“It’s a cynical money grab by insurance companies taking advantage of the commitment anesthesiologists make thousands of times each day to provide their patients with expert, complete and safe anesthesia care, said American Society of Anesthesiologists President Patrick Giam, M.D., FASA. “These egregious policies, which will no longer pay for anesthesia care if the surgery or procedure goes beyond an arbitrary time limit, regardless of how long the surgery takes, breaks the trust between insurers and their policyholders who expect their health insurer to pay physicians for the entirety of the care they need. We thank Congressman Torres for standing up for patients and physicians. No patient should ever have to worry that their insurance isn’t going to cover their medically necessary anesthesia care during surgery.”

The full bill text is attached as a PDF.