Literature GAO reviewed indicated that private insurance payments for anesthesia services on average were more than 3-1/2 times those of Medicare payments. This payment difference increased from what GAO reported in 2007— average private insurance payments for certain anesthesia services in 2004 were about 3 times those of Medicare. While Medicare rates for anesthesia services are set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), private insurance rates are set through negotiations between providers and private insurers.
Read the full article: GAO Report: Differences between Private and Medicare Anesthesia Services Payments Likely Due to Providers’ Strong Negotiating Position //
Source: https://www.gao.gov/assets/720/710326.pdf