While hospital outpatient departments account for about 25 percent of all outpatient surgical volume, ASCs are gaining more market share, according to Erin Nelson, director of strategy for healthcare consultancy Catalyst, a division of Haskell.
In a Nov. 18 post, Ms. Nelson shared three reasons why ASCs are threatening future HOPD market share:
1. CMS expanded the number of ASC-payable surgical procedures to include total knee arthroplasty, as well as some neurosurgery and cardiology services.
2. CMS' site-neutral payment policies are shrinking the reimbursement gap between ASCs and HOPDs.
3. The rise in high-deductible insurance options is making patients more price-sensitive, and co-pays tend to be lower in ASCs than in HOPDs.