By Dr. William Moss

The state’s budget crisis is top of mind for everyone this legislative session. As an anesthesiologist in Northern Colorado, I’m incredibly concerned about further cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates which will negatively impact both patients and providers alike. Keeping these rates stable is essential to keeping accessible care for all Coloradans intact, but especially for our rural communities.

Physician anesthesiologists, anesthesiology physician assistants and nurse anesthetists consistently work as a team to provide the safest, highest-quality care to all patients. Access to anesthesia care is absolutely critical for everything from elective to life-saving surgeries, maternal health care and chronic pain management. However, if lawmakers continue to cut rates, medical providers across the state will struggle to continue providing that care to patients that need it, and many providers will likely be forced to seek to practice in other states.

We already face a staffing shortage in Colorado, with health care and maternal health care deserts statewide. Data collected by CDPHE shows that almost all Colorado counties face a provider shortage. Rural counties — whose populations disproportionately rely on Medicaid for insurance coverage — have only half the providers they need.

Anesthesia care in particular has received some of the most severe rate cuts; rates were slashed 40% in 2024, and there is a proposed 15% in additional cuts that was passed this session. If the legislature continues to make these serious cuts, many practitioners may close in low-income areas, because they already can’t afford to keep the doors open. These are not idle problems. They will have ripple effects throughout the entire health care system.

Anesthesia care is the cornerstone of much of modern medicine. Patients rely on it for all kinds of everyday and critical care: labor and delivery, root canals, back surgery, organ transplants and more. As specialists we also usually lead an operating team, and are the backstop for patients who develop complications during surgery. Our care, training and experience saves lives.

And patients understand: 9 out of 10 patients want a physician anesthesiologist on their care team. But if providers, particularly independent practices, cannot afford to take on Medicaid patients, there may be dire consequences. People will delay or forgo care, even for lifesaving procedures, because there is no way to get the anesthesia care that is required.

That’s because physician anesthesiologists are also highly trained, having to complete 12-14 years of higher education. While that education is essential to provide the best care and safest outcomes, it also unfortunately means provider shortages can’t be quickly fixed.

Rate cuts for Medicaid increase inequity in health care outcomes across the board. We do not and should pick our patients, but we have already seen too many providers leave the state. Coloradans deserve quality care regardless of their ZIP code or bank account. We recognize there is a budget crisis, but it can’t be balanced on the backs of some of our most vulnerable patients.

Dr. William Moss has been a practicing anesthesiologist in Northern Colorado for over 20 years.