Considered that the CRNA vs. AA debacle makes absolutely no sense to us, the actual provider of the service....but EVERYTHING to the 'ologist who is making an excellent living off our willingness to do the case and let them bill for it...CRNAs and AAs need to find a way to get along.
I'm sure that as long as we're fighting, the 'ologists are loving the disharmoney (misspelling intended). "Divide to conquer" has worked for the docs for YEARS and continues to do so. If the CRNAs and AAs joined forces, the 'ologists won't be able to lower the worker salary to their benefit. I'd love to have a dollar for every time I've seen the docs skewer the CRNAs over the years...saying Medicare is lower reimbursement when in fact the reimbursement had been raised...and the CRNAs didn't call them on it because the majority of CRNAs at the time were considered "secondary income earners" (i.e. women) and as such didn't need to be paid as much and didn't "need to know" the facts.
There's a whole litany of tactics that the docs have pulled over the years that are going to be put into play again very soon....Medicare has in fact reduces reimbursement by 7-8% again this year with the Bush administration laying out the plan for up to another 27% reduction in Medicare reduction by 2012. The games WILL begin anew....be forewarned, all you anesthesia providers employed in the "Team" environment.