After a somewhat disappointing rulemaking cycle for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) this year, 2025’s discussions with federal regulators will become all the more important. And a return to a Trump administration means ASC stakeholders will need to start those conversations sooner rather than later. “We're really going to get on the ball very early in the year in 2025,” Kara Newbury, chief advocacy officer for Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), said during a recent podcast … [Read more...]
CMS Proposes New Medicare Advantage Policies, Seeks Coverage for Weight-Loss Drugs
GLP-1s and Medicare Advantage (MA) are two potential headwinds for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), with each undoubtedly playing a larger role in 2025. Partly because of this increasingly prominent standing, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) proposed new policies related to both GLP-1s, or glucagon-like peptide-1s, and MA on Nov. 26. “This proposed rule includes more policies to remove unnecessary barriers to care stemming from the use of inappropriate prior … [Read more...]
Exploring ASC Ophthalmology Trends
Ophthalmology is a growing specialty in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) space. In part, that growth is fueled by operators using advanced technology that increases patient satisfaction and generates more demand. Rising case rates and ownership opportunities for younger physicians are also giving ophthalmology momentum in the ASC industry. Ophthalmology is so hot, in fact, there may be a looming supply-demand imbalance for ASCs to contend with down the line. “In ophthalmology, I … [Read more...]
Creative Solutions and Policy Wins: State ASC Associations Tackle Medicaid Delays, Anesthesiologist Shortages, Legislative Hurdles
Restrictions on Medicaid reimbursement and the ongoing anesthesiologist shortage have been among the most pressing issues facing ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) across the U.S. in 2024. Representatives from several state ASC associations discussed those and other topics during a recent virtual panel discussion. “By joining together and just always viewing ourselves as community, I think we really do have to take that on ourselves, especially as the leaders of these organizations, to … [Read more...]
Key Insights from ASC Leaders: The Quotes That Have Defined 2024
You can often take the pulse of any industry by analyzing the words of its leaders. And while there were plenty of interesting quotes from ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders in our reporting this year, a few stood out for their thoughtfulness, candor and relevance. From pricing transparency and strategic partnerships, to navigating compliance and the growing shift towards high-acuity procedures, these quotes capture the essence of the challenges and opportunities facing ASCs … [Read more...]
Why Operators Are Embracing Hybrid ASC, Office-Based Lab Models
The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) landscape continues to evolve with different ownership and management models, one being the ASC and office-based lab (OBL) hybrid, in which operators combine the services of both facilities under the same roof. This model is particularly popular in cardiology, William Hoffman, a shareholder at the law firm Polsinelli, told ASC News. But the hybrid approach also works in other specialties, including ophthalmology, according to Joseph D’Agostino, ASC … [Read more...]
ASC Dealbook: $194M Deal Expands Sanford’s ASC Footprint; Flagship Acquires Multi-Specialty ASC
Flagship acquires Ohio ASC Flagship Healthcare Properties has acquired Central Ohio Surgical Institute, an ambulatory surgery center in New Albany, Ohio. The property was acquired via Flagship Healthcare Trust, the private real estate investment trust (REIT) of outpatient healthcare real estate firm Flagship. The firm did not disclose the acquisition price in the Oct. 28 announcement of the deal. Fifth Third Bank provided financing and Nick Myers of Zeustra represented the … [Read more...]
Baxter Restarts Second IV Line, Releases First Product Manufactured After Hurricane Helene
Baxter announced a significant milestone in its recovery efforts at the North Cove, North Carolina, manufacturing facility, which was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. The company has successfully restarted a second IV solutions production line, following the relaunch of the first line in late October, the company announced in a Nov. 14 update. Together, these lines now represent 50% of the site’s pre-hurricane production capacity and 85% of its one-liter IV solution output – critical … [Read more...]
ASC Execs Secure Their Businesses Against Supply Chain, Staffing, Medicare Advantage Threats
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, which severely disrupted the supply of intravenous (IV) solutions in the United States, ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators are thinking more seriously about resilience. The recent fluid shortages were a major challenge that taught operators valuable lessons about supply chain vulnerabilities, Dr. Vishal Mehta, president and managing partner at Fox Valley Orthopedic Institute, said at a recent industry conference. Fox Valley operates multiple ASCs in … [Read more...]
Trump’s Return: How the New Administration Could Shape Future of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
The 2024 presidential election has ushered in Donald Trump’s return to the White House. With it, questions arise about the future of health care policy and implications for the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry. “President Trump was president for four years, so it’s not like we’re walking into this completely blind,” J. Blake Peart, managing director at health care advisory firm Vertess, told ASC News. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) remains a critical issue, Peart said. During his … [Read more...]