In its 2025 proposed payment rule for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) floated a 2.6% increase to surgery center payments and adjustments to select quality-reporting measures. One thing CMS didn’t call for: key additions to the ASC Covered Procedures list for 2025. “It is disheartening that CMS established a new, supposedly more transparent process for submitting procedure codes that could be added to the ASC Covered Procedures … [Read more...]

Nashville-based SurgNet Health Partners is looking to expand, especially in underserved markets where there's a need for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Those markets will be critical as part of company’s growth and mission. “We want to be in the states that are underserved,” co-founder and CEO Chase Neal told ASC News. “That's really our focus, and where we're seeing deal activity is more in the Midwest, and the Upper East and the Southeast quadrants right now.” SurgNet Health … [Read more...]

Intermountain Health is one of the nation’s larger and more innovative health systems. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that the organization is turning its attention to its ambulatory surgery center (ASC) strategy. The nonprofit health system is headquartered in Salt Lake City, but its operations span six states across the Intermountain West. Overall, Intermountain Health has nearly three dozen hospitals and more than 380 clinics. ASCs are a core part of its future, too. “We currently … [Read more...]

While every year brings new challenges and opportunities, 2024 has been especially interesting for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and the patients they serve. The narratives shaping this year include the ongoing shift of higher-acuity procedures into the ASC setting and continued workforce challenges, especially around anesthesiology capacity. Storylines defining 2024 also include robust M&A and joint venture activity, including rumors swirling around one of the largest ASC operating … [Read more...]

The U.S. hospital sector is in serious distress. While many of the largest hospital systems in the nation are doing well financially, hundreds of facilities are in danger of shutting their doors, especially ones located in rural areas. One ripple effect of the hospital struggles could be increased dealmaking activity in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) space. If a hospital system is struggling financially, it could seek to offload some of its more valuable assets – such as an ASC – to … [Read more...]

It has been a busy summer for AMSURG, one of the largest ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators in the country.  In the past three months, the Nashville, Tennessee-based company, which operates a network of approximately 250 surgery centers nationwide, announced several new joint ventures across a range of specialties in California, Oregon and Nevada.  And there are more partnerships in the pipeline, according to AMSURG Chief Operating Officer Keith Hennegan.  Hennegan recently … [Read more...]

Surgery Partners Inc. (Nasdaq: SGRY) continues to benefit from the shift toward higher-acuity procedures being performed in lower-cost outpatient settings and surgical technology advancements. The increased demand for services linked to America’s rapidly aging population is likewise driving growth for the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operator. “We expect that March [toward higher-acuity procedures] to continue,” Surgery Partners CEO Eric Evans said Tuesday during the company’s Q2 2024 … [Read more...]

The United States is currently experiencing a significant shortage of anesthesiologists, due to an aging workforce, increased demand for surgical procedures and burnout among existing practitioners.  The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) has reported that the percentage of facilities with anesthesia staffing shortages has increased dramatically, from 35% in early 2020 to 78% in late 2022.  Projections indicate that by 2036, the U.S. could face a shortfall of up to 86,000 … [Read more...]

The trend of moving medical procedures from hospitals to outpatient settings is picking up speed in almost every realm of health care.  Driven by advancements in medical technology, changes in reimbursement policies, and patients looking for less invasive and more cost-effective care options, ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators are at a unique precipice with the opportunity to expand their care networks.  Cardiovascular procedures have seen a significant increase in being performed … [Read more...]

Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC) is experiencing an “incredibly busy year” when it comes to United Surgical Partners International (USPI), its large ambulatory surgery center (ASC) business. In part, all of the action is driven by an increase in ASC higher-acuity caseload, with total joint replacements in Tenet’s ASCs up 23% year over year, with ongoing growth in urology and gastrointestinal (GI) procedures as well. Overall same-facility surgery volumes for Tenet’s ambulatory arm were … [Read more...]