U.S. Anesthesia Partners reached settlements in principle on October 30, 2026, in two Houston federal class actions alleging it overcharged Texas patients and health plans for hospital anesthesia. The amounts have not been disclosed, and there is no claim form yet.
What Happened?
U.S. Anesthesia Partners (USAP), the Dallas-based anesthesia company, told a Houston federal court on October 30, 2026, that it had reached settlements in principle in two proposed class actions accusing it of monopolizing hospital anesthesia in Texas and raising prices. One case was brought for patients who paid anesthesia bills themselves; the other for health plans that paid USAP claims. Both are before U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett in the Southern District of Texas.The notices say the parties are still drafting and signing formal written agreements. Neither notice gives a dollar amount, a class size or any benefit terms. Those details will appear only when the plaintiffs file motions asking the court for preliminary approval. Until then, there is nothing to claim.
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The Two Cases
The patient case (Burbage v. U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc., No. 4:25-cv-00116) was filed in January 2025 and amended in February 2026. It proposes a class of natural persons who directly paid all or part of the cost of hospital-only anesthesia services provided in Texas by USAP or its alleged co-conspirators since September 21, 2019. In practice that means patients who paid part of a USAP hospital anesthesia bill themselves, such as a deductible or coinsurance.The health plan case (Electrical Medical Trust v. U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc., No. 4:23-cv-04398) was filed in November 2023 by two Houston-area union health funds. It proposes a class of entities, not individuals, that paid for hospital-only anesthesia services provided in Texas by USAP, a group that would take in self-funded employer plans and insurers.
The two settlements are separate. Each notice says its settlement does not resolve the claims in the other case. Both name the same settling defendants: U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc., U.S. Anesthesia Partners of Texas, P.A., and U.S. Anesthesia Partners Holdings, Inc.
What the Lawsuits Allege
Both cases followed a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit filed against USAP and the private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in September 2023. The private suits make allegations that largely track the FTC's.The plaintiffs allege that Welsh Carson helped form USAP in 2012, and that USAP went on to acquire 16 anesthesia practices across Texas, including the largest groups in Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth and Austin. They claim USAP raised the acquired groups' reimbursement rates after each deal. They also allege that USAP entered price-setting agreements with three anesthesia groups it did not buy, and a market-allocation agreement with another potential competitor. The complaints claim these practices left Texas patients and health plans paying more for hospital anesthesia.
These are allegations. No court has found that USAP violated antitrust law, and both notices state that the settlement discussions are not an admission of liability by any party.
How the Cases Got Here
In August 2025, the court dismissed with prejudice the patient case's claims against the Welsh Carson entities, leaving USAP as the target. On September 30, 2026, the court ruled on USAP's motion to dismiss the amended patient complaint. It dismissed a conspiracy claim and claims tied to anesthesia at ambulatory surgery centers, but let the monopolization, acquisition, price-fixing and market-allocation claims go forward for hospital-only anesthesia.The settlements came while both cases were in expert discovery. In each case, the parties asked the court to vacate the schedule and pause the case for 60 days so they could finish the agreements.
What Happens Next
The parties told the court they will file a status update by December 1, 2026, if the plaintiffs have not moved for preliminary approval by then. If the court grants preliminary approval, a settlement administrator would send notice and open a claims process, and the court would later hold a final approval hearing.If a formal agreement is not signed or the court does not approve it, the parties said they would ask the court to restart the paused deadlines.
Questions
How much is the U.S. Anesthesia Partners settlement?
No amount has been disclosed. The October 30, 2026 notices say only that the parties reached a settlement in principle and are drafting a formal agreement. The amount and benefits will appear in a motion for preliminary approval, which has not been filed.
Who would be covered by the patient settlement?
The patient case proposes a class of natural persons who directly paid all or part of the cost of hospital-only anesthesia services provided in Texas by U.S. Anesthesia Partners or its alleged co-conspirators since September 21, 2019. The final settlement class definition will be set in the settlement agreement and approved by the court.
Does the settlement cover health plans and employers?
A separate settlement in principle was reached in the health plan case, which proposes a class of entities, not individuals, that paid for hospital-only anesthesia services provided in Texas by U.S. Anesthesia Partners. Each notice says its settlement does not resolve the claims in the other case.
Is Welsh Carson part of the settlement?
The settling defendants named in both notices are U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc., U.S. Anesthesia Partners of Texas, P.A., and U.S. Anesthesia Partners Holdings, Inc. The court dismissed the patient case's claims against the Welsh Carson private equity entities in August 2025.
When will more details be available?
The parties asked the court to pause both cases for 60 days and said they will file a status update by December 1, 2026, if a motion for preliminary approval has not been filed by then.
Sources
- Notice of Settlement, Burbage v. U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc., No. 4:25-cv-00116 (S.D. Tex. Oct. 30, 2026), ECF No. 165.
- Notice of Settlement, Electrical Medical Trust v. U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc., No. 4:23-cv-04398 (S.D. Tex. Oct. 30, 2026).
- Order on Motion to Dismiss, Burbage v. U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc., No. 4:25-cv-00116 (S.D. Tex. entered Oct. 1, 2026), ECF No. 162.
- Class Action Complaint, Electrical Medical Trust v. U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc., No. 4:23-cv-04398 (S.D. Tex. Nov. 20, 2023), ECF No. 1.
- Patient case docket and health plan case docket (CourtListener).
