Physician practices are being swept up in a wave of consolidation that could reshape how patients access care – and how providers like ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) fit into the picture. A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) warns that deals involving hospitals, insurers and private equity are steadily reducing the share of independent physician practices, pushing more services into higher-cost settings and giving large organizations more negotiating power. The … [Read more...]
From Dental and Behavioral Health to ASCs: How Chris Fromme’s Diverse Background Is Shaping Compass Surgical Partners’ Next Chapter
The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry is entering a new era – one that’s marked by higher-acuity care, increasingly complex joint ventures and an urgent need for infrastructure that can support rapid growth. Compass Surgical Partners is betting that a multi-sector operator with experience in both scaling and transformation is the right person to help lead that charge. The ASC management and development company recently named Chris Fromme as its new chief operating officer. Fromme … [Read more...]
‘Patients Over Profits Act’ Would Shake Up ASC Industry by Targeting Payer-Povider Ownership Structures
Lawmakers in Washington are taking aim at the growing clout of large insurers that also own health care providers – a dynamic that could reverberate across the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) – joined by a slate of Democratic lawmakers including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), and Reps. Pat Ryan (N.Y.), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.) and Val Hoyle (D-Ore.) – revealed the Patients Over Profits Act earlier this month. The legislation would make it “unlawful for … [Read more...]
CMS Proposal to Drop Inpatient-Only List, Grow ASC List Sparks 3,900 Comments
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) floated big changes to the outpatient surgery landscape when the agency shared its 2026 proposed payment rule for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) on July 15. To recap, CMS’ proposal included doing away with the Medicare Inpatient Only List (IPO), adding to the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL) and giving ASCs a relatively modest payment adjustment. CMS likewise proposed changes to the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality … [Read more...]
Compass Surgical Partners Taps Chris Fromme as COO at ‘Transformative Moment for the ASC Industry’
Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) development and management company Compass Surgical Partners is beefing up its leadership team. Compass announced on Sept. 9 that ASC industry veteran Chris Fromme has been named to the COO role. Fromme’s more than 25 years of health care experience includes stops at ASCs, dental practices and behavioral health organizations, Compass noted in its announcement. Fromme most recently served as CEO of Star Dental Partners. He held the COO role at Behavioral … [Read more...]
Regent Surgical Enters Pediatric ASC Market with Patches Kids Care Joint Venture
The pediatric ambulatory surgery center (ASC) space continues to attract attention. And as parents, payers and health systems look for ways to deliver safe, cost-effective care for children, operators are beginning to stake their claim in a market historically dominated by hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Regent Surgical, a Nashville-based developer and operator of ASCs, is the latest to place a bet on the future of pediatric outpatient surgery. The company on Sept. 3 announced a … [Read more...]
UnitedHealth Group Puts Spotlight on ASCs, Touting Cost Savings and Patient Gains
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is the largest health care company in the U.S. It’s also one of the quietest, too, often preferring to operate under the radar as it expands its clinical capabilities, experiments with new payment frameworks and executes on M&A. That low-key strategy applies to UnitedHealth Group’s ambulatory surgery center (ASC) arm as well. SCA Health is one of the largest ASC networks in the nation, yet UnitedHealth Group leaders rarely provide updates on the business … [Read more...]
New HHS Health Care Advisory Committee Gives ASCs a Platform to Showcase Their Strategic Value
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are launching a health care advisory committee, giving surgery centers a new platform to showcase their strategic value. Moving forward, the committee will deliver recommendations directly to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. Specifically, the committee will be tasked with advising on how care is financed and delivered across Medicare, … [Read more...]
Forefront Dermatology, Henghold Surgery Center Settle False Claims Act Allegations for $847K
Forefront Dermatology and a now-closed ambulatory surgery center (ASC) have agreed to pay nearly $850,000 to resolve allegations they improperly billed Medicare for wound repair procedures, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The $847,394 settlement addresses claims that Forefront Dermatology S.C. and Henghold Surgery Center LLC violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by upcoding wound repair services tied to Mohs micrographic surgeries – an advanced technique used to treat skin … [Read more...]
Report: ASCs Continue to Serve as Strategic Anchors in Health Systems’ Growth Plans
Health systems are sharpening their focus on ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) as the outpatient sector becomes central to care delivery, network expansion and revenue growth. That’s the conclusion of Colliers’ recently released U.S. Healthcare Services Report, which highlights ASCs as a critical lever for systems navigating aging demographics, shifting care preferences and rising costs. Colliers is a global commercial real estate and advisory firm. “The outpatient sector is forecasted … [Read more...]