Accreditation is often viewed as a regulatory necessity, but for ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators, it can also serve as a powerful marketing tool.. “It’s kind of like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval,” according to Laurie Roderiques, RN, director of clinical services for Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies. “That can possibly put you a leg up on someone else.” Roderiques spoke at the recent virtual conference hosted by John Goehle. The primary accrediting organizations for … [Read more...]
ASCA Urges CMS for Updated Payment Rates, Calls for Covered Procedures List Expansion
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...]
New Survey Offers Inside Look at ASC Quality-Reporting Program, Challenges for Operators
The vast majority of ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators participate in the Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program, a new industry survey suggests. The ASCQR Program requires ASCs to report specific quality measures to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) looked at participation in a recent survey, publishing results on Aug. 30. The survey collected 321 responses from surgery centers across … [Read more...]
CMS to End Advanced Payment Program Tied to Change Healthcare Cyberattack: What ASCs Should Know
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...]