Ambulatory surgery center industry advocates have long been trying to gain a seat at the payment discussion table and that goal may finally be coming to fruition.
The House Committee on Ways and Means has put forth the "Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014," which would allow an ASC representative a position on the Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment, according to a Regent Surgical Health report.
The 19-member panel meets three times a year to advise CMS on coding, accounting and outpatient business office functions.
The legislation was introduced by Representative Kevin Brady (R-Texas). In addition to giving voice to the ASC industry, the legislation proposes to change Medicare's two-midnight rule, overhaul the Recovery Audit Contracts program and create a new hospital prospective payment system.
Though of a narrower focus, the "Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality and Access Act of 2013" contained similar goals, including giving ASCs voice on the Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment.