Ohio Opts Out of Physician Supervision for Nurse Anesthetists
Ohio becomes the 27th state to opt out of Medicare requirements for physician supervision of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). The decision expands patient access to anesthesia care.
Ohio has officially opted out of Medicare's physician supervision requirements for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), a move Governor Mike DeWine confirmed in a July 10, 2026 letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
This decision makes Ohio the 27th state to be granted an exception from the federal regulation, which previously mandated that CRNAs practice under physician supervision. The change follows the enactment of House Bill 52 in Ohio earlier in June 2026, which removed the state-level requirement for such supervision.
Leaders from the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) and the Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists (OSANA) praised the governor's decision. They stated that removing the federal requirement will improve patient access to timely and high-quality anesthesia care, particularly in underserved rural areas, and allow healthcare facilities to better utilize CRNAs.
CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses who administer anesthetics. Nationally, they provide over 58 million anesthetics annually across various healthcare settings. Their role is often critical in rural facilities where access to physician anesthesiologists may be limited, and they also serve in all branches of the U.S. military.