The Federal Reserve’s recent decision to cut interest rates by half a percentage point marks a shift in monetary policy, signaling that inflation is cooling and that the central bank may now be focused on keeping the labor market stable.  In turn, that could mean there’s more ambulatory surgery center (ASC) transaction activity on the horizon. “We’re trying to achieve a situation where we restore price stability without the kind of painful increase in unemployment that has come sometimes … [Read more...]

The U.S. health care system continues to become more decentralized. As part of that trend, health care services continue to trickle down from hospitals and health systems to freestanding entities, including ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). While the pace of such site-of-care shifts feels fast, it has actually been a gradual process. And ASCs have likely yet to feel the full force of the procedure volumes headed their way in the not-too-distant future, recent insights from the Advisory Board … [Read more...]

Same-day surgery centers across the country will soon be required to administer the OAS CAHPS survey, a comprehensive tool developed by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to assess patient satisfaction following outpatient surgeries. The survey asks 34 questions covering various aspects of patient experience, including communication with medical staff, facility cleanliness, preparation for discharge and recovery, and overall satisfaction with the care received. It … [Read more...]

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...]

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 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 U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its 2025 proposed payment rule for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospital outpatient departments last week. The headliner from CMS was its proposed 2.6% effective payment update for next year, a figure based on a 3% inflation update plus a 0.4% productivity reduction. As it pertains to that update, CMS listened to industry feedback and mirrored proposed payment changes for ASCs and hospital outpatient departments … [Read more...]

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Wednesday released its proposed rule for the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System. This annual proposed rule, which includes a 60-day comment period ending on September 9, 2024, will be finalized in early November. The proposed updates and policies outlined in the rule are designed to impact approximately 3,500 hospitals and 6,100 ASCs … [Read more...]

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and other health care providers experienced pronounced payment disruptions earlier in 2024 due to the Change Healthcare cyberattack. Many of these health care providers mitigated the financial impact of that disruption via a form of short-term loan from the government. This lifeline will soon go away, however. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that its advanced and accelerated payment program tied to the cyberattack … [Read more...]