The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association expressed support for federal legislation introduced March 25 by Reps. Beth Van Duyne, a Republican from Texas, and John Larson, a Democrat from Connecticut, that would change Medicare’s ASC payment system, according to a March 25 press release.
The Outpatient Surgery Access Act of 2026 would permanently apply the same inflationary update factor used for hospital payment rates to ambulatory surgical centers. The bill also would remove a budget-neutrality adjustment that the association said has depressed ASC reimbursement.
CMS aligned the ASC payment system with the hospital outpatient payment system in 2009 but has historically updated ASC rates using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. In 2019, CMS began using the hospital market basket for a trial period set to expire at the end of 2026.
ASCA CEO Bill Prentice said stable and accurate payment updates are needed to protect patient access to outpatient surgical care.
More than 6,500 Medicare-certified ASCs operate in the U.S. and are projected to reduce Medicare program costs by $73.4 billion from 2019 to 2028, according to an analysis cited in the release.
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.