The Florida House Health & Human Services Committee adopted legislation that allows ambulatory surgery centers in the state to provide 23-hour stays for same-day surgical procedures.
The legislation — HB 23A — extends recuperation time for patients after outpatient surgery. Here are five things to know about the proposed legislation:
1. The House Health & Human Services Committee passed an identical measure on April 9 during the regular session. Hospitals historically opposed such legislation, and the Florida Hospital Association opposed legislation last year that would have allowed ASCs to keep patients up to 24 hours and create 72-hour stay recovery care centers.
2. There are currently 36 states that allow 23-hour stays at ASCs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also allows patients to stay for 23-hours in the ASC setting. South Carolina and Maryland were the most recent states to expand recovery care at ASCs to 23 hours.
3. There are more than 400 ASCs in Florida today, which perform around 1.5 million surgical procedures each year. If patients were able to stay at ASCs for 23 hours, centers could add more complex procedures — including spine and orthopedic surgeries — to their centers.
4. ASCs have lower reimbursement rates than hospitals and hospital outpatient departments, leading to significant savings for the healthcare system. From 2008 to 2011, ASCs saved Medicare $7.5 billion nationwide.
5. There is no assurance this bill will pass. Advocates urge the state lawmakers to advance legislation before they close the current extended session.