CRNA Exemption - JF Part A

As of January 1, 1989, anesthesia services furnished by Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) were to be billed to Medicare Part B on the CMS 1500 form. However, for calendar year 2004 and forward, hospitals can elect exemption from this requirement if they performed eight hundred or fewer surgical procedures and the CRNA worked not more than 2080 hours at the facility, including inpatient and outpatient procedures requiring anesthesia per 42 CFR 412.113. This is an annual election and is made on a calendar year basis.

Electing the CRNA Exemption

In October of each year, a letter and questionnaire will be sent out to all providers who have qualified for the CRNA exemption at least one of the past two calendar years. A questionnaire is included for providers to complete and return. If the provider chooses to elect the CRNA exemption, the section requiring the number of procedures and hours of service will need to be completed.

Along with the questionnaire, annual agreements signed by each CRNA stating they will not bill the Part B carrier must be submitted in order to qualify for the exemption.

The questionnaire and CRNA agreements should be sent to the following address by December 15 of each year in order for the CRNA exemption to be effective the following calendar year.

See the Mailing Addresses webpage for state specific PO Box details.