ASC Coding, Billing & Collections

Many ASCs are facing increasing obstacles in the payer landscape, but ASC administrators and executives are developing strategies like direct-to-employer contracting and attracting patients to bypass them. 

After months of negotiations, Raleigh, N.C.-based WakeMed and UnitedHealthcare failed to reach an agreement on a new contract, The News and Observer reported June 1.

From a Maine physician group ending its contract with Anthem to Blue Cross Blue Shield updating its colonoscopy policy, here are six payer updates from the last 60 days:

As the healthcare industry continues to move away from fee for service and toward value-based care, alternative payment models are expected to become more popular among patients, insurers and providers.

With the trends in healthcare moving toward value-based care models, ASCs could be in the perfect position for growth. 

Three lawsuits have been filed against healthcare giant UnitedHealth Group and UnitedHealthcare in the last month — including two ASCs filing suits. 

Here are five updates from the last 60 day about one the country's largest insurers: 

Medicare per-procedure payments to hospital outpatient departments were 2.1 times larger than payments to ASCs, according to new research published by the Rand Corp. 

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South, a physician-owned hospital based in Oklahoma City, paid $1.2 million to settle billing fraud allegations May 16.

National Medical Billing Services acquired anesthesia, ASC and pain management revenue cycle management provider Medi-Corp, according to a May 17 news release shared with Becker's.