Regulation

One of the most significant, sector-shaping trends in health care is the migration of care out of the traditional hospital and into lower-cost outpatient settings. Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market growth reflects this idea. In light of this overarching theme of care shifting into non-traditional settings, the ASC industry has entered into a period of rapid change and fast-paced growth that’s certain to extend into 2025. More private equity investors will turn their attention to … [Read more...]

Last year was a pivotal year for the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry, marked by transformative trends, groundbreaking innovations and high-stakes decisions that reshaped the landscape. It was also an exciting year for us at Ambulatory Surgery Center News, as we launched in the summer of 2024 with a mission to deliver in-depth reporting and actionable insights tailored to ASC operators, investors, payers, clinicians and other stakeholders. Since our debut, we've brought you stories … [Read more...]

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), which advises Congress on Medicare policy, recommended a 1% base rate increase above current law to both hospital inpatient services and outpatient services for 2026.  With that increase, the overall increase would be 4.6% based on the current projected hospital market basket increase of 3.6% for 2026. Analysts at Macquarie Capital noted that a hospital rate increase would have a positive impact on ambulatory surgery centers, including … [Read more...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

As cyberattacks become more frequent and the pace of regulatory change accelerates, investing in strong compliance programs is critical for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). But that’s easier said than done. ASCs are often forced to do more with less, as reimbursement cuts, wage increases, inflation and other financial pressures strain surgery centers’ bottom lines. This dilemma – investing in compliance when financial resources are scarce – is a commonality that many health care … [Read more...]

Federal legislation that seeks to protect the financial viability of physician practices by addressing long-standing Medicare reimbursement challenges has been introduced, and has the backing of ambulatory surgery center advocates.  The proposed legislation comes as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) 2.93% cut in physician Medicare reimbursement rates is set to take effect in January 2025.  “This amounts to a finalized CY 2025 PFS conversion factor of $32.35, a … [Read more...]

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a letter in September clarifying the role of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in the state’s health care system. The letter came following surveys conducted at Stanislaus Surgical Hospital and Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, California, where CRNAs were found practicing independently without appropriate physician supervision.  These surveys, conducted by state and federal surveyors, led to “Immediate Jeopardy” … [Read more...]

Blockbuster transactions in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry and health care sector could see more scrutiny moving forward. On Oct. 10, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted unanimously to issue new final rules that effectively make the pre-deal notification and regulatory review process more comprehensive. “The final rule implements changes that will improve the ability of the FTC and Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to detect illegal mergers and … [Read more...]