ASC Coding, Billing & Collections

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has signed a law stating that certain physician assistants will no longer have to sign a "collaboration agreement" with a physician for their entire career, New Hampshire Bulletin reported July 30. 

Here are five states that have passed laws limiting noncompete agreements since Jan. 1:

ASCs leaders across the country are frustrated with the disparity in reimbursements between ASCs and hospital outpatient departments for the same procedures. 

Benita Tapia, RN, administrator and director of nursing at Beverly Hills, Calif.-based 90210 Surgery Center, joined Becker's to discuss what's missing in ASC conversations with payers. 

From ASCs' cost-savings potential to patient outcomes, 13 leaders joined Becker's to discuss the gaps in communication between  ASCs and payers. 

ASCs in many markets are struggling for leverage with payers, up against massive hospital systems and sparse cost information from the insurance companies. 

A federal jury has ruled that insurance brokerage Lockton Cos. and two brokers will pay $3 million to USI Insurance Services for allegedly breaching noncompete agreements, Business Insurance reported July 23. 

For many ASCs, navigating payer behavior and declining reimbursements is the biggest challenge in maintaining profits. 

Physicians and other healthcare providers should keep a sharp eye on potential Stark law allegations amid increasing federal scrutiny, law firm Arnold & Porter wrote in an April blog post. 

As many as nine out of 10 physicians say that prior authorization has a negative effect on patient outcomes, according to the American Medical Assocation's survey of about 1,000 physicians nationwide.