U.S. Anesthesia Partners Reaches Agreement with Colorado Attorney General
February 27, 2024 (DENVER)--- U.S. Anesthesia Partners (USAP) of Colorado today announced that it entered into a voluntary agreement with the Colorado Attorney General (AG) that will close a misguided inquiry into USAP’s presence and growth in the State. USAP has not violated any laws, and the agreement is not an admission of liability or any wrongdoing.
“We felt that it was in the best interest of our patients, health system partners and the communities we support to resolve the inquiry, regardless of its merits. Our resources are better spent taking care of patients than paying legal fees to defend ourselves against erroneous claims,” said USAP-Colorado physician Dr. Henri Acosta. “USAP remains committed to focusing on what matters most – providing the highest quality care to Coloradans.”
Per the terms of the agreement, USAP will exit five hospitals across the State and develop a transition plan with those facilities to support the continuation of care. Apart from these five hospitals, USAP will continue to maintain the strong relationships it has with the other facilities and health systems it serves in Colorado.
As part of the agreement, for a period of three years, USAP agrees to inform the AG’s office in advance of any planned Colorado acquisitions and any new exclusive hospital contracts in the State. Additionally, the Company will modify existing non-compete provisions and will gradually eliminate non-compete agreements for USAP clinicians in Colorado. USAP’s non-compete provisions in Colorado have evolved over time to meet industry standards, business needs, and changes to Colorado law. The modifications USAP is making under this agreement are a continuance of that evolution and had been contemplated for some time. Under the agreement, USAP is not subject to any fines or penalties, but has agreed to pay $200,000 to offset partial costs and fees incurred by the AG’s office.
“We strongly disagree with the accusations and assertions claimed by the Attorney General. The USAP Colorado practice has a proud history of providing high-quality patient care and excellent anesthesia services to the facilities we serve,” said Dr. Acosta. “Our preference would have been to maintain the relationships with the hospitals impacted by this settlement, and our goal is to work collaboratively with our colleagues who serve those sites to ensure as smooth a transition as possible. USAP Colorado will continue to focus on meeting the anesthesia needs of our facility partners and patients going forward.”
About U.S. Anesthesia Partners
USAP is the leading single-specialty anesthesia practice, dedicated to providing high-quality anesthesia services to over 2 million patients across the nation annually. With over 4,500 clinicians and expertise in many anesthesia subspecialties, including pediatric, cardiac and OB anesthesia, USAP sets the standard for high-quality patient care. Its data-driven quality metrics enable continuous innovation and improvements that are shared across USAP via a robust Clinical Quality Committee and quality framework. This helps facilitate the delivery of consistent, high-quality services for patients, surgeons, facilities, and health plans. The company's clinicians serve healthcare communities in Texas, Florida, Colorado, Nevada, Washington, Kansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Maryland, Kentucky, Ohio, Montana, and the District of Columbia. To learn more about USAP, visit: www.usap.com