Here are seven news updates for ambulatory surgery center leaders to know for June 29, 2015.
Supreme Court upholds PPACA subsidies in King v. Burwell
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down its long-awaited opinion on King v. Burwell Thursday morning, ruling six-to-three that tax subsidies under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are available to all Americans, even those who reside in states that did not establish their own health insurance exchanges. The PPACA states tax subsidies for health insurance are to be provided "through an exchange established by the state." Read the full report on Becker's ASC Review.
Opposition once again gathers to contest TriStar's $17M ASC project
Hospital Corporation of America's TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., won a certificate of need battle to move its surgery center, but several nearby surgical practices, many of which are affiliated with Nashville-based Saint Thomas Health, contested the initial CON application, according to a Nashville Business Journal report. The $17 million project would relocate the medical center's Southern Hills Surgery Center to Brentwood, Tenn.
House committee passes HHS funding bill that would cut AHRQ
The House Appropriations Committee approved the draft fiscal year 2016 budget for HHS, which would terminate the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The bill includes a total of $71.3 billion for HHS, an increase of $298 million above last year's level and $3.9 billion below the President's budget request, according to a statement. Included in Sec. 226 (a), is the termination of AHRQ, effective October 1, 2015.
Impending disaster, state medical societies fear ICD-10 transition
Medical Societies in California, Florida, New York and Texas expressed concern about the impending Oct. 1 ICD-10 deadline, claiming it will be a disaster, according to Health Data Management. The medical societies claimed many of their 125,000 combined physician and medical student members would continue efforts in Congress to stop or delay the transition to combat the repercussions of the deadline.
Surgicare of Mobile files CON application for expansion
Surgicare of Mobile (Ala.) has filed a certificate of need application for an expansion project, according to a Lexology report. The application calls for the addition of five operating rooms, 20 pre- and postoperative bays and four restrooms, according to the report. The application also calls for expanding the waiting room and business office.
Health Care Cost Institute working to expand price transparency initiative
The non-profit organization Health Care Cost Institute is working to expand its price transparency efforts, according to a Health Data Management report. HCCI offers pricing information for 78 procedures, but hopes to increase that number to more than 300. The organization bases procedure pricing on claims data gathered from more than 50 million patients.
Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte gets accreditation
The Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte achieved Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care accreditation, according to the AAAHC newsletter. REACH is an infertility clinic operating out of a freestanding building with an embryology laboratory and surgical center. The center is designed specifically for infertility patients.