Business Episodes

20 exam windows invalidated. Roughly 150 graduates who thought they had a job in September now retaking a national certification exam. And a workforce gap between CRNAs and anesthesiologists that's up to 11,000 and accelerating. Joe Rodriguez sits down with Randy Moore and Tracy Young, three days into Tracy's term as president of his professional association. They don't agree on all of it. That's the point. The docket opens with the CAA certification crisis: what NCCAA found, why Tracy says the CRNA community shouldn't take a victory lap, and what it means for hospitals already stretched thin. From there, Randy walks through the supply and demand curves reshaping the locums market, Tracy lays out the data on the widening CRNA-anesthesiologist gap, and both agree a locums company bubble is forming, even if they disagree on the timeline. The sharpest moment of the episode: Randy makes the case that anesthesia groups have spent years selling themselves as a cost to minimize instead…

USAP allegedly paid a competitor $9 million to stay out of the Dallas market. A Texas teachers' pension system says it's paying twice the going rate for anesthesia because of it. Joe Rodriguez (Chief Growth Officer, Guide Anesthesia) is joined by Tracy Young (COO, Essential Anesthesia) and Gary Keeling (VP, Anesthesia Services at Coronis Health) to unpack the USAP consolidation fallout, why anesthesia pay works the way it does, and the debt mechanics behind CHG Healthcare's acquisition of Krewe Anesthesia. First: Representative Tom Oliverson's Houston Chronicle testimony and the Texas Teacher Retirement System's claim that USAP charges double the going rate, including the allegation that USAP paid Envision $9 million to stay out of the Dallas market entirely. Tracy makes the business case for what USAP did before making the ethics case against how they did it. Second: why anesthesiologists and CRNAs actually get paid what they get paid, and why "fair" isn't a market principle de…

UnitedHealthcare posted $5.5 billion in profit this quarter. Another state just opted out of physician supervision requirements. And CMS quietly gutted what's left of anesthesia's quality reporting program. Joseph A. Rodriguez, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at Guide Anesthesia, is joined by Randy Moore, Chief Anesthetist Officer and Executive Vice President for Strategy, and Gary Keeling, VP Business Development at Coronis Revenue Cycle Management, for a wide-ranging read on where anesthesia economics are actually headed. They don't agree on how much of this changes practice on the ground. That's the point. Ohio becomes the 27th opt-out state, and the three break down why the practical impact rarely matches the headline. CMS's 2027 proposed rule drops the conversion factor again and dismantles MIPS reporting, Gary explains why almost nobody hits the threshold anymore. UnitedHealthcare's quarterly numbers spark a sharper conversation about what a 7% margin on $112 billion i…

Anesthesia coverage is now the single most cited financial headache for surgery center leaders in the country, and MD-only care is disappearing fast: QZ billing is up 15%, team-based coverage is up 30%, and CRNA-involved cases have nearly doubled in Florida over 14 years. Joe Rodriguez sits down with Randy Moore, Chief CRNA and Chief Strategy Officer at North Star Anesthesia, and first-time guest Andrew Woodmancey, founder and managing partner of Anesthesia Operations Consultants, a mid-sized consulting firm based in Florida, to break down what's actually driving these numbers. They don't agree on all of it. The conversation opens with a new VMG Health survey on where anesthesia subsidies are headed in 2026, then moves into the billing data behind the shift away from MD-only care. Andrew, brought on as the non-clinical voice in the room, argues the real economic problem is reimbursement and industry infighting, not scope-of-practice fights. Joe pushes further, arguing that cr…

Six days before a federal rule was set to take effect, the courts stepped in. The Department of Education tried to redefine who counts as a professional, a move that would have capped student loans for nurse anesthetists and the advanced-practice clinicians training behind them. The courts said the challenge is likely to succeed and hit pause. This week I sat down with Tracy Young, twenty-six years in the field, and Randy Moore, who runs anesthesia at enterprise scale, to work through what the ruling actually means and what it does not. It is a win in a battle, not the war. We get into the argument a federal regulator made that landed harder than we wanted to admit, why a rule written to require supervision is now being used against us, and where the line sits between what government should decide and what the people doing the work should. Plus the student-loan fight both parties get half-right, and why credentials stopped predicting who can lead. Good information first. Then…

Joe Rodriguez (co-founder, Guide Anesthesia) sits down with Randy Moore (EVP and National Chief CRNA, NorthStar Anesthesia) and Gary Keeling (VP of Anesthesia Services, Coronis RCM). Three seats, three vantage points on the same business. Let the spicy takes flow. First docket: the Arizona reimbursement fight. Gary calls the QZ cut a pure money grab. Randy steelmans the insurer's lobbyist before dismantling him, and explains why the hospitals least prepared to absorb the hit will be the ones paying it. Joe walks through why reimbursement parity doesn't raise costs when subsidies fill the gap, and tells the story of the insurer that paid patients directly for eight years. Second docket: the Texas non-compete case. Gary argues exits should hurt but not kill. Randy says hospitals deserve the right to fire bad vendors, but a $30 million buyout is anti-competitive. Joe draws the line between covenants that trap clinicians and the non-solicit rule that just says don't be shady. Plu…

Joe Rodriguez sits down with Randy Moore and Tracy Young, to work through the week's hardest stories. Let the spicy takes flow! Reimbursement: UnitedHealthcare stops paying for physical status. Oklahoma and Louisiana fight back with legislation. Tracy makes the case that anesthesia has been commoditized, and that hospital subsidies taught payers they never have to pay full price. Private equity: California and Oregon pass laws to curb PE in medicine. Tracy argues we legislate against bad actors instead of punishing them. Randy defends consolidation, then explains why the Oregon deal was a playbook of what not to do. And the line nobody else will say: hospitals don't fire anesthesia groups that are doing a good job. Workforce: AA bills fail in Iowa and Minnesota. Joe argues the entire AA strategy asks the wrong question. Tracy disagrees with both hosts and predicts a sorted market: CRNA-centric facilities on one side, MD and AA medical-direction models on the other, driven by …

The FTC just notched its second win against the biggest roll-up in anesthesia history. Welsh Carson settled first. Now USAP. So who actually won, and who pays next? Joe Rodriguez sits down with Randy Moore and Gary Keeling for the kind of conversation that usually happens at the bar after the conference, not on the record. No "where did you go to school" warm-ups. Just three operators reading the headlines everyone else is misreading. Gary drops the frame that defines the episode: this is two Goliaths at war. Private equity built 70 percent market share with borrowed money. Insurers answered with the No Surprises Act and rate cuts. Now IDR is swinging back, hospitals are eating the shortfall through subsidies, and the FTC just stepped into the ring. Anesthesia providers are standing in the middle of all of it. Then the gloves come off on the anesthesiologist assistant fight. Sixty bills in thirty years. Gary says there's enough work for everybody and braces for the hate mail.…

In this bold and revealing episode, we sit down with Randy Moore — former military CRNA, past CEO of the AANA, and now a top executive at one of the country’s largest anesthesia organizations — to explore how the anesthesia market unraveled, and why no one stopped it. From workforce blind spots to failed strategic planning, Randy walks us through the early warning signs that went unheeded, the flawed assumptions that fueled collapse, and the slow-motion crises that turned into full-blown disrup...

Summary The conversation discusses the topic of rural pass-through and its impact on the anesthesiologist shortage. It explores the idea of including physician anesthesiologists in rural pass-through and whether it would be an effective solution. The conversation also delves into the concept of shortage and how it can be addressed by utilizing anesthesia providers to their maximum potential. The importance of deregulation and allowing local experts to make decisions about anesthesia models ...

Summary In this conversation, Joe Rodriguez interviews Michael McKinnon, podcast founder, CRNA, and assistant program director at National University. They discuss two topics: the supervision clarification advisory opinion from the Arizona Board of Nursing and the opt-out of Medicare Part A physician supervision requirements in Massachusetts. McKinnon shares his perspective on these issues and emphasizes the importance of removing barriers to competition and promoting a level playing...

Introduction: In this episode of "Anesthesia Deconstructed," we delve into the evolving landscape of anesthesia services with two leading figures from NorthStar Anesthesia: Randall Moore, DNP, MBA, CRNA, Chief CRNA, and Jim Roberts, MD, Chief Medical Officer. Together, they shed light on NorthStar's innovative strategies in navigating staffing shortages, private equity involvement, and the complexities of the post-No Surprises Act era.Guest Insights: Randall Moore brings a wealth of experienc...

Introduction: Welcome to a groundbreaking episode of "Anesthesia Deconstructed," where we delve into the forces reshaping the landscape of anesthesia and healthcare recruitment. Today, we're thrilled to have Jarod Collins with us, a visionary behind "MOTION" - a pioneering platform set to redefine how anesthesia professionals navigate their career paths.Guest Spotlight: Jarod Collins, Executive Vice President, Strategic Partnerships at MedGeo Ventures, is part of the innovative team that deve...

In this session, we talk with Josh Condado, CRNA, from his initial foray into a highly controlled anesthesia ACT lead to his exploration of real estate investing. It makes us wonder how fully utilizing CRNA roles can significantly enhance staff retention – but that’s for another episode. Josh is only 31 years old, but it was an enlightening conversation about diversification with real estate investing, something anesthesia providers of all types can potentially diversify their assets with. This...

In this episode, you will hear from Mr. James Laubham CPA, owner of Capital Accounting, PC on why Nurse Anesthesiologists and Physician Anesthesiologists are turning to 1099 to maximize their career benefits. He goes through the ins and outs as well as what you need to know when deciding to go 1099. Learn from a CPA who is an expert in anesthesia business accounting! Learn more at the Capital Accounting website https://www.capitalacctpc.com/ Send us Fan Mail Follow us at: Instagram Facebook ...

Everyone wonders what a lobbyist is, what they do, and do you NEED one? There is always a lot of demonizing lobbyists and their role in the media but what is the truth? On this episode, we interview Kelsey Lundy, Managing Partner at Compass Strategies in Arizona, and talk about lobbyists, grassroots involvement, Political Action Committees, how politics work, and how a good lobbyist can be critical to your legislative goals. We also discuss how to find and interview a firm as well as how to asse...

Please join me for Part 2 of this discussion with Joe Rodriguez MSN CRNA where we talk about the trials and tribulations of building an anesthesia company, being successful at it and all the pitfalls in between! Learn the ropes in this 2 part series! Send us Fan Mail Follow us at: Instagram Facebook Twitter/X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please join me for this discussion with Joe Rodriguez MSN CRNA where we talk about the trials and tribulations of building an anesthesia company, being successful at it and all the pitfalls in between! Learn the ropes in this 2 part series! Send us Fan Mail Follow us at: Instagram Facebook Twitter/X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this podcast we talk with Dr Randall Moore the CEO of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) about the future of healthcare. We discuss President Trumps executive order, specifically section 5 as it relates to APRNs and how that will change practice nationally. The format is an open conversation about not just where healthcare is headed for CRNAs but as a country. Many great insights and a realistic glimpse into the future! Send us Fan Mail Follow us at: Instagram Facebook Tw...

On this podcast we talk about how Mr Becker decided to get into law, healthcare law and his journey to Harvard law school. We talk about how important family support is and how his was there for him. Additionally, we discuss physicians and allied healthcare providers roles as we continue dealing with the challenge of access to healthcare in a fiscally responsible manner. Lastly, we talk about ASCs, HOPDs and where Mr Becker sees healthcare headed in the future. This is an amazing man with great ...