Ambulatory Surgery Center Association

More cardiovascular (CV) procedures are coming to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), but the barrier to entry remains high. Varied state regulations, high capital costs and tight staffing are likely to limit the pace of outpatient migration for these CV procedures, industry insiders told ASC News. “I don't think we're going to see a huge shift in volume in the first couple of years,” Kara Newbury, chief advocacy officer at the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), told ASC … [Read more...]

The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry enters 2026 with undeniable momentum – and a growing sense that the “easy” part of the outpatient shift is over. More procedures are moving out of hospitals, yes. And it’s true that payers, employers and patients all continue to favor lower-cost (and more convenient) sites of care. What’s more, regulators are expanding what ASCs can do, and investors still view the sector as one of health care’s few durable growth stories. But the operating … [Read more...]

The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry is entering 2026 with plenty of momentum, fueled by a shifting regulatory landscape plus rising demand from patients and payers alike. But there are sizable hurdles ASC operators will need to clear as they move forward. To help set the scene, Ambulatory Surgery Center News connected with 12 ASC leaders and market experts, asking them about the trends, challenges and opportunities likely to define 2026 most. Those who participated in this … [Read more...]

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is delaying the implementation of its five-year prior-authorization demonstration for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Originally, the prior-auth demo was set to go live in December 2025 across all participating states: California, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Ohio, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Georgia and New York. Now, the demo will be rolled out in two phases. ASCs in California, Florida, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maryland, … [Read more...]

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule, which, as always, has a few key takeaways for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). The agency says the rule is focused on modernizing payment accuracy by finalizing an “efficiency adjustment” for select services and a one-time 2.5% increase in physician payments. “CMS is working to strengthen and transform Medicare for current and future generations while cracking … [Read more...]

The federal government officially shut down on Oct. 1 after Congress failed to reach agreement on a short-term spending bill. The immediate fallout will mean furloughs for hundreds of thousands of federal workers and stalled services across multiple agencies. For ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), the impact may not be as direct as it is for hospitals or other federally funded programs, but industry leaders say ripple effects could be on the horizon if Congress does not act soon. “If … [Read more...]

While once mostly used mainly in hospitals, electronic health record systems (EHRs) are growing in popularity in outpatient settings. Yet integrating EHRs in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) setting, where margins are tight and staff limited, is no small feat. Loyola Ambulatory Surgery Center President Melissa Rice said the payoff is worth it. “Upfront, it could look a little mundane, but it also then saves you time on the back end,” Rice said on ASCA’s Advancing Surgical Care Podcast. … [Read more...]

Electronic health record (EHR) usage among ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) continues to climb. That’s according to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s (ASCA) July 2025 60-Second Survey. The survey found that 76% of ASCs now use an EHR. That’s the highest percentage since ASCA began asking the question in 2021, reflecting the increasing importance of EHR technology. “It's probably a few industry [and] health care trends happening simultaneously,” ASCA regulatory counsel Alex … [Read more...]

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is calling for big changes to how – and where – surgical procedures are performed. Specifically, federal regulators are pushing to eliminate the Medicare Inpatient Only List (IPO) while significantly expanding the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL). The agency floated those plans on July 15 when it released its 2026 ASC payment system proposed rule. While there’s much to unpack in the more than 900-page proposed rule, such … [Read more...]

Drug diversion in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) is more common than most operators realize. And the consequences of not taking the topic seriously are far-reaching. Although the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) inspects ASCs less commonly than hospitals, that doesn't mean these facilities are off the hook, Dennis Wichern, a retired DEA agent and partner at Prescription Drug Consulting, said during a recent Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) webinar. “The odds of DEA knocking … [Read more...]