Florida accounted for 10 of the 53 ASC developments Becker’s has tracked nationally so far in 2026 , the most of any state. Here are eight things to know about what’s driving it.
- Florida led all states in ASC activity in 2026. Its 10 tracked developments — spanning openings, groundbreakings, joint ventures and expansion announcements — topped every other state in Becker’s year-to-date tracker.
- A major national ASC developer is entering the state for the first time. Newport Beach, Calif.-based DISC Surgery Center is preparing to open its first Florida location, a spine-focused ASC led by surgeon Jason Cuellar, MD, PhD, following a multiyear relationship with the company’s development team.
- Academic medicine is expanding into Florida’s outpatient market. Tampa General Hospital and Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham launched a joint venture to grow outpatient services on Florida’s east coast, starting with a radiation oncology center in Palm Beach Gardens.
- GI and orthopedic groups are also building. Borland Groover broke ground on the Emerald Coast Endoscopy Center in Santa Rosa Beach, while Ascension St. Vincent’s and Southeast Orthopedic Specialists opened an ASC in St. Augustine.
- One system, three separate projects. Lee Health alone has three developments underway: a combined ASC and medical office building in Fort Myers, a 100,000-square-foot ambulatory clinic in Cape Coral with four ORs and two cath and EP labs each, and a 60,000-square-foot pediatric surgery center slated to open in early 2028.
- Florida’s certificate-of-need rollback is a key enabler. Florida has already eliminated the certificate-of-need requirements that, in roughly three dozen other states, still restrict where and how many ASCs can be built — a change industry leaders point to as making it faster for systems and developers to move on new projects.
- Federal payment policy is adding fuel. CMS’ 2026 final rule for ASCs and hospital outpatient departments added hundreds of procedure codes to the ASC covered procedures list and kept shifting cases off the inpatient-only list, giving operators more reimbursable volume to build around.
- Growth is broad-based, not specialty-specific. Florida’s 2026 projects span spine, GI/endoscopy, orthopedics, ophthalmology, radiation oncology and pediatric surgery. There is no one specialty driving the numbers.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.
