ASC Coding, Billing & Collections

The vertical integration of physician groups and health systems is resulting in a push to procedures to hospital outpatient departments over ASCs, driving Medicare and patient out-of-pocket costs up, according to a study published July 25 in Science Direct. 

ASCs are flourishing across the country, with payers, patients and health systems taking note of the cost-savings potentials.  

The average general surgeon billed commercial payers more than $11.6 million each year, according to an Aug. 1 analysis published by healthcare staffing firm AMN Healthcare.

A House committee in June unanimously advanced legislation that would make permanent an in-office ancillary services exception to Stark law for drugs provided under Medicare. 

ASCs in many markets are struggling to secure higher reimbursements and gain leverage in payer conversations. 

Here are 10 multimillion-dollar Stark law settlements Becker's has reported on in two years:

Charleen Tacket, administrator of Vital Heart & Vein in Houston, joined Becker's to discuss how patient experience is often missed in conversations with insurance companies. 

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.