title: Utilization of anesthesia services during outpatient endoscopies and colonoscopies and associated spending in 2003-2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The frequency with which anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists provide sedation for gastrointestinal endoscopies, especially for low-risk patients, is poorly understood and controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To quantify temporal comparisons and regional variation in the use of and payment for gastroenterology anesthesia services.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of claims data for a 5% representative sample of Medicare fee-for-service patients (1.1 million adults) and a sample of 5.5 million commercially insured patients between 2003 and 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total number of upper gastrointestinal endoscopies and colonoscopies, proportion of gastroenterology procedures with associated anesthesia claims, payments for gastroenterology anesthesia services, and proportion of services and spending for gastroenterology anesthesia delivered to low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class 1 or 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of gastroenterology procedures per million enrollees remained largely unchanged in Medicare patients (mean, 136,718 procedures), but increased more than 50% in commercially insured patients (from 33,599 in 2003 to 50,816 in 2009). In both populations, the proportion of procedures using anesthesia services increased from approximately 14% in 2003 to more than 30% in 2009, and more than two-thirds of anesthesia services were delivered to low-risk patients. There was substantial regional variation in the proportion of procedures using anesthesia services in both populations (ranging from 13% in the West to 59% in the Northeast). Payments for gastroenterology anesthesia services doubled in Medicare patients and quadrupled in commercially insured patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Between 2003 and 2009, utilization of anesthesia services during gastroenterology procedures increased substantially. Anesthesia services are predominantly used in low-risk patients and show considerable regional variation.
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Boston, MA 02116, USA.
authors.forename: Hangsheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Waxman
authors.forename: Regan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Main
authors.forename: Soeren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mattke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D018588:Fee-for-Service Plans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009719:Nurse Anesthetists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult