The New York State Department of Health approved Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center's request to reclassify its Niskayuna, N.Y.-based ASC, The Daily Gazette reports.
What you should know:
1. Albany Medical Center sought approval to turn its ASC into an Article 28 facility, allowing the center to perform a larger range of procedures at a higher reimbursement rate.
2. Schenectady, N.Y.-based Ellis Medicine opposed the request, saying Albany was attempting to siphon patients away from its facilities in Niskayuna.
3. Ellis swayed two state health board members to vote in its favor, requiring the state health commissioner to make the final decision. Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, MD, ruled in Albany's favor, approving the request.
4. Albany built and opened its Niskayuna ASC in March 2017. Ellis claimed it lost $1.2 million in revenue to the ASC in Nov. 2018.