Already looking ahead to 2026, ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders are making plans for where they’ll put their dollars to work. Outpatient demand continues to climb, and with the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) steadily opening the door to more procedures in the ASC setting, operators are thinking carefully about how to match that growth with the right investments. To get a better sense of what’s on the radar of surgery centers, ASC News asked operators to pull … [Read more...]
Avoiding Misaligned Incentives: Why Capital Considerations Are Key to ASC JV Success
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) structured as three-way joint ventures between hospitals, physicians and management companies are becoming more prevalent as health care systems seek to expand outpatient surgical capacity. Yet according to a new white paper from Merritt Healthcare, these ventures only thrive when all stakeholders align around capitalization from the start. “When capitalization isn’t thoughtfully planned, it could definitely lead to incentives that are misaligned,” Danilo … [Read more...]
Mount Sinai, Merritt Healthcare Fast‑Track Joint Venture Surgery Center Strategy via Peak Point Partners
Mount Sinai Health System is fast‑tracking the construction of several joint venture ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) through Peak Point Partners, the holding company it co‑owns with Merritt Healthcare. The goal: to move routine procedures into lower-cost settings, and stay competitive with self‑insured employers and commercial payers. The New York-based health system shifted from small, passive stakes in ASCs to a dedicated, system‑wide build‑out over the past five years, Brent Stackhouse, … [Read more...]
Ambulatory Surgery Center Stakeholders Sound Alarm Over HHS Proposal to Rescind Public Participation in Rulemaking
Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) stakeholders are raising concerns after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its intention to rescind the long-standing policy requiring public participation in certain rulemaking processes, particularly those involving Medicare, Medicaid and reimbursement. The move could significantly limit opportunities for ASC operators and others to comment on future regulatory changes. And it might lead to legal challenges, too. “I believe … [Read more...]
ASCs Confront Mounting Reimbursement Hurdles, Price Transparency Pressures
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are confronting an evolving landscape of reimbursement pressures, heightened prior authorization hurdles and new pushes for price transparency. “Authorization has been a huge issue throughout 2024,” Todd Currier, CEO and administrator of Bend Surgery Center, said during a recent Ambulatory Surgery Center News webinar. “Trying to get pre-ops done for surgical cases, it just, it’s grown our backlog to cases and delayed procedures. ... It delays care, which is … [Read more...]
Mount Sinai Health System Boosts Surgical Care Capabilities, Opens New ASC
One of the more innovative health systems in the U.S. is expanding its ambulatory surgery center (ASC) network. Mount Sinai Health System announced on Sept. 30 that it officially opened its Peakpoint Midtown West Surgery Center. The 25,106-square-foot ASC is a joint venture between Mount Sinai, area surgeons and Merritt Healthcare. “Peakpoint Midtown West underscores our commitment to expanding access to the latest surgical treatments and world-leading medical care for all patients,” Brent … [Read more...]