ASA Commends Sens. Cantwell and Cassidy for Introducing S. 2070, a Bill to Preserve Safe, High-quality Anesthesia Care for All Veterans, Particularly PACT Act Veterans
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) applauds Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) for introducing Senate bill 2070, a patient safety measure that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from superseding state patient safety laws and replacing physician anesthesiologists with nurses in surgery at VA hospitals. A dangerous VA proposal intending to put such a change into practice would put Veterans’ lives at risk and lower the quality of care for those who served our country. ASA believes our nation’s Veterans deserve the same high standard of care as all Americans. This is the first time legislation regarding this issue has been introduced in the U.S. Senate. The bill will serve as a Senate companion to Congressman David Scott’s (D-GA-13) House bill, H.R. 3347.