Here are seven updates for ambulatory surgery center leaders.
CMS cuts to colonoscopy reimbursement finalized
CMS has released its CY 2016 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, and the final rule includes reimbursement cuts for colonoscopy. The reimbursement cuts were initially proposed in July. The reimbursement cuts for some procedures are more than 17 percent.
Physicians Surgical Care Center opens in Orlando
The Physicians Surgical Care Center opened in Orlando. The 23,000-square-foot surgical center is a partnership between Jewett physicians, Florida Hospital, Surgical Care Affiliates, JLR Center for Pain Medicine and The Ear, Nose & Throat & Plastic Surgery Associates. Beth Davis is the administrator of the center while Tracy Aponte is the business office manager.
8 administrators leading 1+ ASCs
These eight administrators oversee more than one ASC:
- Traci Albers — High Pointe Surgery Center in Lake Elmo, Minn., and North Memorial Ambulatory Surgery Center at Maple Grove (Minn.)
- Diane Lampron, RN, BSN, CNOR — The Surgery Center at Lutheran in Wheat Ridge, Colo., and Peak One Surgery Center in Frisco, Colo.
- Aaron Shechter — Hackensack (N.J.) Endoscopy Center and the Endoscopy Center of Bergen County in Paramus, N.J.
- Jill Barth, BSN, RN — Pine Ridge Surgery Center in Wausau (Wis.), and Northwoods Surgery Center in Woodruff (Wis.)
- Dustin L. Briggs, CSFA — Advanced Surgical Institute in Huntington Beach, Calif., and Rancho Cucamonga, Calif
- Alfonso Del Grandado — Oak Brook (Ill.) Surgical Center, Aiden Center for Day Surgery in Aston, Ill., and Ashton Center for Day Surgery
- Brien Fausone — Michigan Endoscopy Center in Farmington Hills and Michigan Endoscopy Center/Providence Park in Novi
- Karen Reiter, RN, CNOR, RNFA, CASC — Diagnostic & Interventional Surgery Center in Marina del Rey, Calif., and DISC Surgery Center at Newport Beach (Calif.)
Read more about these administrators here.
Laser Spine Institute to participate in two clinical trials
The practice has been selected as a clinical site for trials conducted by both Spinal Kinetics and Titan Spine. Patients will be enrolled in the respective clinical trials at Laser Spine Institute's ASC in Tampa, Fla. Spinal Kinetics' FDA-regulated clinical trial is studying the M6-C artificial cervical disc, a motion preservation technology. Titan Spine's clinical trials will involve transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion procedures for up to 25 trial patients.
Boulder City Hospital reopens Las Vegas-area surgery center
Boulder City (Nev.) Hospital ran into financial troubles beginning in 2007, and while working to reach financial viability, the hospital closed its surgery center. But now, the surgery center is once again open.
Most voters unaware of Connecticut's ASC tax
The Connecticut Citizens for Affordable Health Care recently polled voters in the state on the new 6 percent provider tax on same-day surgeries performed at ASCs in the state. Seventy-nine percent of voters polled didn't know about the tax. Once made aware of the tax, 81 percent of the survey's respondents disapproved of the tax. The state's ASCs are already subject to sales and local property taxes.
Which states boast the highest and lowest uninsured rates?
Texas had a 20.8 percent uninsured rate in the first half of 2015, according to The New York Times. Florida (15.2 percent) and Mississippi (14.2 percent) followed. Illinois, which expanded Medicaid, saw a drop in its uninsured rate from 15.5 percent in 2013 to 8.8 percent in 2015.
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