Intelligence Brief
AI-curated coverage of legislation, workforce trends, compensation shifts, CMS policy, practice-authority moves, and CAA expansion. Filtered for CRNA + CAA relevance — not generic healthcare news.
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Lipscomb University in Nashville accepted 24 students from more than 300 applicants for its new Master of Science in Anesthesiology program starting August 2026, following Tennessee's CAA licensure beginning January 2026. The 28-month program requires 2,200–2,500 clinical hours across at least 650 cases.
BagMask.com's Q1 2026 report found advertised maximum base pay for certified anesthesiologist assistants broke the prior $330,000 ceiling, led by Texas at $350,000, Georgia at $340,000, and Wisconsin at $330,000. Figures reflect advertised base salary only, excluding call pay and bonuses.
HF 4460 would create a licensure framework for certified anesthesiologist assistants in Minnesota. The House Health Finance and Policy Committee held an informational hearing April 13, 2026 but took no action. The Minnesota Medical Association, AAAA, and ASA supported the bill; AANA opposed it.
Maryland HB 1558 (cross-filed SB 951) would have established licensure of anesthesiologist assistants under the State Board of Physicians. The House Health Committee heard it March 18, 2026, with support from the Maryland Society of Anesthesiologists and MedStar Health and opposition from the Board of Physicians; no further action followed.
Gov. Bill Lee signed Tennessee's CAA licensure law in May 2025, with full requirements taking effect January 1, 2026. Tennessee joins ~24 jurisdictions where CAAs may practice and becomes the first new state to authorize CAA licensure since Virginia's 2025 law. Lipscomb University's in-state CAA program is timed to feed the new licensure pathway.
Illinois SB 1482 would create a comprehensive Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant Practice Act — master's degree, department-approved exam, and a written supervision agreement with an anesthesiologist defining scope. AANA's Illinois affiliate is opposing as written; AAAA is lobbying for passage. The bill is the most procedurally advanced CAA legislation in the Midwest.
Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley) introduced AB 985 to authorize Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants in California under a strict ACT model — anesthesiologist must be physically present and immediately available to supervise. California is the largest unlicensed-CAA market in the country; passage would meaningfully reshape the West Coast staffing picture.
Virginia's 2025 AA licensure law puts the Commonwealth in the licensure column alongside ~20 other states. VCU's College of Health Professions has been a key institutional voice on the rollout, framing the law as a workforce-access measure rather than a CRNA-vs-CAA scope battle.
Stories are pulled from state legislative trackers, AANA + AAAA government affairs feeds, CMS releases, peer-reviewed workforce research, healthcare trade press, and major news outlets. Items are summarized by AI but selected for CRNA + CAA relevance — generic healthcare news is filtered out. Each item links to its primary source so you can verify and read in full. We do not sponsor or accept paid placements in the news feed. Read the full editorial policy →