Five key regulatory updates for ASC leaders to know:
1. CMS released its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule for 2021 Aug. 3, which could result in drastic cuts for surgeons across the board. If approved, the conversion factor would drop from $36.09 to $32.26.
2. ASCs engaging in "information blocking" practices could be subject to penalties under a new rule from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, according to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association.
3. New Jersey's health department modified COVID-19 testing rules for ASCs resuming elective surgeries and invasive diagnostic procedures.
4. The California state legislature is considering a bill that would impose new restrictions on healthcare-related merger and acquisition activity.
5. HHS extended the timeline for publishing the final rule clarifying physician self-referral regulations. The agency had planned to issue the final rule in August 2020 but has extended the timeline for issuing a final rule to Aug. 31, 2021.