Action Needed: SB 882 advances — CAAs are bad medicine for Virginia
Urgent action is needed in the General Assembly! Senate Bill 882, which allows CAAs to practice in Virginia, advanced from the Senate Health Professions Subcommittee to the Senate Education and Health Committee. This is the last stop for SB 882 before it can reach the Senate floor. Learn more about SB 882 by clicking here.
Please contact the Senate Education and Health Committee today and tell them to oppose SB 882. This legislation is expected to come before the committee in the coming days.
In short, SB 882 licenses CAAs and is bad medicine for Virginia because:
- CAAs do NOT improve patient safety.
- CAAs do NOT reduce costs.
- CAAs do NOT improve access to anesthesia services.
Below we have a sample email and the email addresses of the Senators on the subcommittee. Please contact them today and let them know that SB 882 is bad medicine for Virginia. Remember to customize your email!
Contact information for the members of the Senate Health Professions Subcommittee:
- Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (Chair) – [email protected]
- Sen. L. Louise Lucas – [email protected]
- Sen. Mamie Locke – [email protected]
- Sen. David Suetterlein – [email protected]
- Sen. Mark Peake – [email protected]
- Sen. Barbara Favola – [email protected]
- Sen. Lashrecse Aird – [email protected]
- Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg – [email protected]
- Sen. Tara Durant – [email protected]
- Sen. Christie New Craig – [email protected]
- Sen. Jennifer Boysko – [email protected]
- Sen. Todd Pillion – [email protected]
- Sen. Lamont Bagby – [email protected]
- Sen. Christopher Head – [email protected]
- Sen. Stella Pekarsky – [email protected]
Sample subject line: Vote No on SB 882
Sample email:
Dear Senator,
I am writing to urge you to oppose Senate Bill 882, legislation that would allow Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAAs) to practice in Virginia. Licensing CAAs will not address the workforce shortage we’re currently experiencing and will not improve access to anesthesia care services.
In 2017, the Board of Health Professions conducted a study to investigate the feasibility of licensing CAAs in Virginia. After evaluating relevant education, training, examination, and continuing competency requirements, typical duties and functions, and the latest available anesthesia provider workforce data, the Board unanimously concluded that CAAs do not qualify for licensure in Virginia. The study also recommended that six criteria be met before allowing CAAs licensure in Virginia. Since that time, the criteria have not been met. Further, a 2024 report from the Joint Commission on Health Care again recommended studying the impact of bringing CAAs to Virginia before considering immediately licensing them.
Recommendations against licensing CAAs include:
- CAA students would increase competition for already limited training sites and slots needed by Virginia’s Anesthesiologist and Nurse Anesthetist students.
- CAAs can only practice with supervision from physician anesthesiologists, severely limiting the ability for CAAs to help lessen the workforce shortage.
- CAAs are unlikely to locate in underserved and rural areas, places where anesthesia care is needed most, due to a lack of physician anesthesiologists required to supervise them.
In short, legislation promoting CAAs is bad medicine for Virginia because:
- CAAs do NOT improve patient safety.
- CAAs do NOT reduce costs.
- CAAs do NOT improve access to anesthesia services.
Please oppose SB 882, legislation that would fail to help Virginians access anesthesia care.
Sincerely,
[INSERT NAME, TITLE, AND LOCATION]
