AANA Advocates for Improved Anesthesia Access in Veterans' Healthcare Legislation

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) has voiced strong support for a newly introduced piece of legislation aimed at enhancing the availability and quality of anesthesia care for U.S. veterans. On March 18, 2025, Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-IL) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA) announced the introduction of the "Ensuring Veterans Timely Access to Anesthesia Care Act of 2025". This critical initiative strives to grant veterans improved access to high-quality anesthesia services within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

One of the compelling objectives of this legislation is to align VHA policies with those of the Defense Health Agency, which permits both Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and physician anesthesiologists to operate autonomously as anesthesia providers. Supporters argue that this newfound autonomy is not only crucial for enhancing safety, but it also strengthens transparency and efficiency in veterans’ healthcare delivery.

The current operational policies of the VHA regarding anesthesia care have been criticized for causing significant inefficiencies. A growing shortage of physician anesthesiologists combined with an increasing demand for services from an aging veteran population has rendered present supervision models impractical and outdated. By empowering CRNAs to practice independently, unnecessary supervision that often leads to inflated costs, extended wait times, and even surgery cancellations can be significantly alleviated.

Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, a retired Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and the current president of AANA, praised the introduction of this legislation. "As a veteran and practicing CRNA, I am excited to see Representatives Underwood and Kiggans introduce this critical legislation to help our veterans get the prompt care they deserve," Setnor stated. She highlighted that veterans have traditionally faced barriers to timely access, often due to outdated regulation and red tape, which this bill seeks to address.

Recent reports from veteran affairs hospitals, notably the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Hampton Roads VAMC, illustrated how these inefficiencies sometimes resulted in delays and cancellations of necessary surgeries. This revelation underlines the urgency for reform within the VHA's anesthesia models, as CRNAs are already able to practice independently in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

The reformation also carries the potential to significantly enhance the capacity of the VHA to not just administer anesthesia, but also effectively manage airways for veterans, making the entire experience smoother and more efficient. As Jan Setnor remarked, "This bill brings the first major step towards improving and streamlining veterans' care and experience through the VHA. Allowing CRNAs to practice autonomously, like all other advance practice nurses do within the system, would immediately increase the capacity of the VHA to provide anesthesia care and decrease costs." By paving the way for CRNAs to take lead roles in anesthesia provision, proponents believe the legislation will ultimately enhance patient care while also reducing expenditure for the Veterans Administration.

In the context of advocacy, multiple independent organizations have lent their support to the call for CRNA full practice authority within the VHA. Among these is a recent report commissioned by Temple University, which highlighted the beneficial implications of such policy changes. For those interested in advocating further for this important legislative movement, the AANA urges individuals to contact their representatives and express support for the Ensuring Veterans Timely Access to Anesthesia Care Act.

With a membership of nearly 65,000 CRNAs in the United States, AANA represents professionals who safely deliver over 58 million anesthetics annually across a range of healthcare settings. CRNAs are integral members of the healthcare community, practicing in locations from traditional hospital surgical suites to various outpatient facilities, and even in military healthcare, ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of anesthesia care.

If you wish to learn more about the legislation or how to support it, please visit the AANA official website.