7 things for ASC leaders to know for Thursday

Carrie Pallardy -

Here are seven news updates for ambulatory surgery center leaders to know for July 24, 2014.

Moody's, S&P offer mixed outlook for Surgery Partners.
The $792 million Surgery Partners and Symbion deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year. Standard & Poor's Ratings Service gave the company a stable outlook, but mentioned the risk of integration on such a large scale. Moody's Investors Services gave Surgery Partners a 'B3' rating. Moody's attributed its rating to the company's high level of debt, but offered a positive outlook on the company's place in a growing industry.

Delaware initiates workers' compensation changes.
Delaware enacted House Bill 373, which is designed to control the state's level of workers' compensation premiums. The bill includes a 33 percent reduction in medical costs to the workers' compensation system, absolute caps on all workers' compensation procedures beginning Jan. 1, 2017 and increased independence for the Ratepayer Advocate. A new ASC and hospital fee schedule will be put into effect Jan. 31, 2015.

CBO: federal debt to rise during the next 25 years.
The Congressional Budget Office released its 2014 long-term budget outlook, which projects federal debt held by the public to rise during the next 25 years to the highest percentage in the country's history since just after World War II. Read the full report on Becker's Hospital Review.

NY Eye Surgical Center performs first vitreo-retinal surgery.
New York Eye Surgical Center in Saratoga hosted its first vitreo-retinal surgery. Amjad Hammad, MD, performed the procedure. The center was opened in November 2013.

Valley Regional Surgery Center physician celebrates 50 years in medicine.
Louis A. Schmidt, MD, an anesthesiologist with Valley Regional Surgery Center in Piqua, Ohio, celebrated his 50th anniversary in medicine. Dr. Schmidt has worked at the surgery center since the mid-2000s.

AGA leaders participate in Washington, D.C., fly-in.
Six American Gastroenterological Association physician leaders travelled to Washington, D.C., for the Alliance of Specialty Medicine's annual legislative fly-in. The physicians lobbied for a permanent SGR fix, more transparency in the Medicare rate setting process and greater attention for physician workforce issues.

63% of physician practices plan to replace practice management software.
More than half of physician practices, 63 percent, are replacing existing practice management software, according to a survey from Software Advice, a company that conducts research on practice management systems. Only 21 percent of practices are using paper and manual methods.

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