From ASC administrators chiding CMS' proposed pay changes to the benefits of restoring the inpatient only list, here are 10 key reads for ASC executives:
1. What ending noncompetes means for ASCs, physicians: 8 notes
President Joe Biden signed an executive order July 9 encouraging the Federal Trade Commission to limit or ban noncompete agreements. Read more here.
2. 7 physicians share their worst investments, decisions
Entering the medical field can involve having to make many big decisions throughout a physician's career, some of which can provide useful lessons or help inform future decisions. Read more here.
3. Why restoring the inpatient-only list is good for ASCs & more wins in CMS pay proposal
CMS proposed several changes to the 2022 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and ASC Payment System that reverse policies many considered favorable to ASCs. Read more here.
4. 'It's an obvious step backwards': ASC execs pan CMS' 2022 proposed pay changes
ASC owners and executives are critical of CMS' plan to cut procedures from the ASC payable list and add several surgeries back to the inpatient-only list after removing them in January. Read more here.
5. 5 numbers making ASC execs nervous
Independent physician practices and ASCs are having an increasingly difficult time staying independent, especially with changing payer policies and staff shortages in healthcare. Read more here.
6. What will PE do to GI care? 4 physicians weigh in
Private equity investment has grown rapidly in 2021 with groups such as PE GI Alliance, Gastro Health and GI Alliance snapping up deals.
Four gastroenterologists told Becker's ASC Review how they predict private equity will affect the GI landscape and patient care. Read more here.
7. Site-neutral payments: The Supreme Court weighs in
The American Hospital Association and other hospitals have spent the last few years disputing the CMS decision to expand its site-neutral pay policy. Now the Supreme Court has weighed in. Read more here.
8. ASCs, hospitals pay millions as scrutiny intensifies for illegal referrals
The U.S. Justice Department is putting hospitals, ASCs and physician groups under the microscope, in search of improper relationships that violate anti-kickback laws, which could have big consequences for the industry. Read more here.
9. ASC cash-pay price structure varies widely
The healthcare industry is buzzing about a July 6 article in The Wall Street Journal reporting some hospitals charge the highest rates possible for uninsured and cash-pay patients while providing discounts to insurance companies. How do surgery centers structure payments for cash-pay patients? Read more here.
10. Will Biden's crusade for competition hinder ASC-hospital joint ventures?
The Biden administration has begun making its mark on the U.S. healthcare system with strong support for competition. Read more here.