Here are seven things for ambulatory surgery center leaders to know for Monday, July 8, 2013.
Employer insurance mandate of PPACA delayed by 1 year.
The Obama administration has announced that the employer insurance mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been delayed until 2015. The mandate requires businesses and companies with 50 or more employees to offer those employees health insurance or pay a penalty. The directive was initially to take effect in January 2014.
ASC quality reporting program specifications manual version 3.0 now available.
A new edition of "Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program Specifications Manual" has been released on QualityNet, the only CMS-approved website for healthcare quality data exchange. The manual includes measure information and specifications for Medicare's ASC Quality Reporting Program.
67% of physicians involved in ACOs see no personal financial benefit.
Sixty-seven percent of physicians involved with an accountable care organization last year reported that they did experience any financial benefit through either bonuses or shared savings agreements, according to Jackson Healthcare's 2013 Physician Outlook & Practice Trends survey. Of the 3,456 physicians participating in the survey, 864 reported being involved with an ACO.
OIG's Medicare fraud investigations suffer from budget and staff cuts.
The HHS Office of the Inspector General will lose 400 staff members because of budget cuts, which will have an affect on the organization's efforts to investigate Medicare and Medicaid fraud. The loss of staff leaves the OIG without the ability to sort through and determine which complaints are legally viable.
First phase of Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center nears completion.
The first phase of the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, including the facility's first wing, a parking structure, new energy plant and utility vault, is 95 percent complete. The ASC will have a total of four wings.
President of Maryland Ambulatory Surgery Association named to state Patient Safety Center board of directors.
Andrea Hyatt, president of the Maryland Ambulatory Surgery Association, has been elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Maryland Patient Safety Center.
AmkaiSolutions, PMC form partnership to offer customers revenue solutions.
AmkaiSolutions and Partners Medical Consulting have formed a partnership to offer PMC revenue cycle service customers access to AmkaiOffice. Ambulatory surgery center leaders that use PMC for billing services will not have to pay for AmkaiOffice, a clinical and management software program.
More Articles on ASC Issues:
Surgery Center Trends: 8 Thoughts on What Works – And What Doesn't
10 Ideas to Capture More Value From Daily Surgery Center Activities
Navigating the New Era of Surgery Center Healthcare: Q&A with Gregory Maldonado