On July 15, CMS released its proposed rules for 2026, which included the addition of nearly 300 new procedures to the covered procedures list for ASCs.
As the announcement paves the way for a new wave of procedure migration, ASC leaders and physicians are taking stock of their facilities and teams to ensure that they can integrate these new procedures with a high level of care and safety.
Four leaders recently joined Becker’s to discuss what this process will look like.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Danielle Briney, MSN. Quality Assurance Assistant at Allied Physicians Surgery Center (South Bend, Ind.): Leaders and physicians in ASCs must adequately prepare for a potential increase in cases following the recent announcement by the CMS concerning the ASC-CPL list. This preparation entails a comprehensive review and assessment of the most current codes, timely submission of comments, evaluation of operational readiness, proactive adaptation of infrastructure and alignment of quality and safety monitoring protocols. Healthcare professionals should acquire a thorough understanding of the specific new procedures—including electrophysiology studies, percutaneous coronary interventions, spine surgeries, and vascular embolization—and assess their applicability to their respective facilities or practices. Engagement of clinical teams in examining the safety, operational, and financial implications of integrating these procedures is essential. ASC leaders must evaluate staffing levels, training requirements, patient monitoring protocols, and necessary equipment. It is imperative to devise a strategy for managing potential shifts in patient volume from inpatient or hospital outpatient settings to ASCs. Should CMS finalize the proposed changes, it will be crucial to establish documentation and coding workflows that can accommodate new ASC-specific [Hospital Common Procedure Coding System] or CPT codes.
Amit Mirchandani, MD. Medical Director at Seva Pain & Wellness (Tulsa, Okla.): This expansion of ASC procedures represents one of the most significant single-year increases in ASC-eligible procedures. The ASC is becoming the facility that is positioned best for the future of outpatient surgery. By getting ahead of implementation timelines, as ASC leaders, we are collaborating to take action steps to align clinical teams, RCM teams and data points to model financial outcomes. A safe transition to the ASC for higher acuity procedures will take place, especially in the field of cardiology and vascular surgery—and this will be a massive opportunity for those independent physicians in those specialties who are able to invest in independent facilities. There are always challenges, but the future looks bright for properly managed ASCs.
Sheldon Taub, MD. Gastroenterologist at Jupiter (Fla.) Medical Center: With ASC reimbursements being approximately 50% of what hospital reimbursements are, physician owners or investors of ASCs have to be cautious regarding too much expansion of their facilities. This should change with the new proposal. With the easing of the CMS code, there certainly will be more cases done at these facilities. There will also be increased risk of doing some of these more complicated cases that were previously done at the hospital. This new announcement will allow expansion of new physicians, such as cardiologists, to the ASC environment. Since ASCs are generally more cost-effective than hospitals, this should ultimately result in savings for both the patient and insurance companies, including Medicare.
