Utah Governor Signs ASA/USA Endorsed Legislation Prohibiting Anesthesia Time Restrictions

Utah Governor Spencer Cox on March 17 signed Senate Bill 50—vital legislation that prevents health insurers from imposing arbitrary time limits on anesthesia coverage and payment. The American Society of Anesthesiologist and the Utah Society of Anesthesiologists endorsed the legislation, which requires health benefit plans to cover all medically necessary anesthesia services for any covered procedure —regardless of duration—and explicitly prohibits insurers from denying payment solely because anesthesia time exceeds a preset time limit. USA worked closely with the legislature to enact this important legislation. Senate Bill 50 will take effect on May 6, 2026. In 2025, ASA enhanced its state-level economic advocacy efforts by collaborating with interested state components, like Utah, to prevent unfavorable insurer policies like the recently reversed Anthem proposal on anesthesia time.

By affirming that medically necessary anesthesia must be fully covered, Utah joins a growing number of states taking action to prevent insurer interference in safe, patient-centered anesthesia care.

ASA and the USA commend Governor Cox and Utah lawmakers for prioritizing patient safety. Senate Bill 50 strengthens protections for Utah patients by ensuring that anesthesia decisions are guided by clinical judgment and individual patient needs—not by insurer-imposed time caps that fail to account for the complexity and variability of modern surgical care.