AORN set for certified RN first assistant Medicare reimbursement in the new year

As a provider of health care, the CRNFA is a viable solution for controlling rising health care costs. Working in collaborative practice with surgeons, CRNFAs are cost-effective for the patient and for the health care delivery system. The AORN proposal would extend Medicare coverage eligibility to CRNFAs for their surgical first assisting services. Use of CRNFAs could well decrease the frequency and length of hospital stays because CRNFAs would be reimbursed under Medicare at a lower rate than physicians who first assist and because CRNFAs routinely provide much-needed patient education and counseling.