Here are seven news updates for ambulatory surgery center leaders to know for Dec. 5, 2013. CMS final payment rule: 1.2% bump for ASCs, 20.1 percent cut for physicians.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the final payment rule for ambulatory surgery centers and physicians. The rule includes a 1.2 percent increase for ASCs and a 1.7 percent increase for hospital outpatient departments. CMS predicts the increase will boost ASC Medicare payments by $143 million. The 20.1 percent cut for physicians is based on the sustainable growth rate.
TRIA Orthopedic ASC names Mary Haugen director.
TRIA Orthopedic ambulatory surgery center in Bloomington, Minn., has named Mary Haugen its director. Ms. Haugen previously served as the interim director and manager of the pre- and postoperative nursing staff.
New York ASC CEO logs 6k patients in EMR.
Amjad Hammad, MD, CEO of New York Eye Surgical Center and owner of Saratoga Vitreo-Retinal Ophthalmology, recently announced the logging of the 6,000th patient in the group's electronic medical record system.
Merritt Healthcare to develop surgery center in Bridgeport.
Merritt Healthcare has announced the development of an ASC in Bridgeport, Conn. Merritt will work with 12 physicians to relocate a surgery center and develop a new location.
Physicians Endoscopy to open endoscopy center in Gaston County.
Physicians Endoscopy and a group of five gastroenterologists plan to open an endoscopy center in Gaston County, N.C. A certificate of need application was filed in 2010, but an ongoing dispute with CaroMont Health delayed the project. Now pending final state approval, construction of the endoscopy center is expected to begin early next year.
California law aligns CMS certification, state licensure requirements.
A new state law requires the California Department of Public Health to use Medicare Certification requirements as state licensure criteria for ASCs.
Dr. Keith Smith appears on Bill O'Reilly Show.
Keith Smith, MD, co-founder of Surgery Center of Oklahoma, appeared on Fox News' Bill O'Reilly show this week. Dr. Smith has shared his thoughts on market-oriented healthcare with various media outlets and elected officials over the past several years.
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