Last month, the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) President Mark Wainner was invited to the White House to participate in a summit focused on improving patient and workforce safety across the U.S. health care system.  The event included senior health care officials, leaders of 22 national health care organizations, including ASCA, and representatives from 16 major hospital systems. It marked a first-of-its-kind meeting at the White House, providing ASCA the opportunity to engage … [Read more...]

Certificate of need (CON) laws significantly limit the growth of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), increasing health care costs and reducing access to care. That’s according to a recently published study commissioned by conservative think tank The Cato Institute.  The research found that repealing ASC-specific CON laws led to a 44% to 47% statewide increase in the number of ASCs per capita. Rural communities saw even more dramatic growth, with ASCs increasing by 92% to 112% per capita, … [Read more...]

A California law requiring private equity firms and hedge funds to get approval from the attorney general's office when buying health care assets appears to be dead in the water. The legislation is Assembly Bill 3129, sponsored by California Representative Jim Wood. Up until now, the bill has had plenty of momentum, making it out of the California State Assembly and succeeding in two committee votes in the California Senate. If finalized, AB 3129 would have forced PE-type buyers to disclose … [Read more...]

Siouxland Surgery Center, doing business as Dunes Surgical Hospital, United Surgical Partners International (USPI) and USP Siouxland Inc. have agreed to pay about $12.76 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations. The allegations are related to improper financial relationships between Dunes and two physician groups, according to a Sept. 16 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announcement. Dunes is a surgical hospital located in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. Since July 1, 2014, USPI … [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...]

The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) recently submitted comments calling for significant changes to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed 2025 payment rule for ASCs and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs).  In a letter to CMS, ASCA said that CMS should consider updating payment rates, expanding the ASC Covered Procedures List (CPL) and changing new quality reporting measures. Under the proposed rule, ASCs would receive an effective update of 2.6%, … [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...]

For operators looking to open up a new ambulatory surgery center (ASC), it takes more than just funding, a strategic plan, or even a strong clinical team. In many markets, regulatory stars need to align as well. A certificate of need (CON), for instance, is a regulatory document required in some states before health care facilities, including ASCs, can be constructed, expanded, or significantly altered.  For ASC operators, the CON process presents both opportunities and challenges. On one … [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...]