The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association has announced it recently hosted members from Oregon and Georgia on Capitol Hill so they could meet with their members of Congress and staff members to ask for support of the ASC Quality and Access Act of 2011, according to a report in its ASCA Government Affairs Update.
The goal of the meetings was also to educate legislators and staffers about ASCs, focusing on how low-cost services save the Medicare program money and the need for continued congressional support of the ASC industry.
Highlights of the meetings included the Oregon group meeting with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and members from Georgia meeting with Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) and Tom Graves (R-GA).
These were the final meetings of the 2011 ASC Fly-In Campaign; this year, ASCA members participated in 12 state fly-ins and more than 100 congressional office meetings that yielded numerous cosponsors to the ASC Quality and Access Act.
The ASC Quality and Access ASC of 2011 would put into place policies to establish reasonable Medicare reimbursement for ASCs while encouraging additional cost savings for Medicare. It would help "modernize" the way ASCs are paid by tying ASC Medicare payment updates to the Hospital Market Basket, rather than to the volatile Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers.
Related Articles on the ASC Quality and Access Act:
ASC Quality and Access Act Adds Three Co-Sponsors
ASC Leaders From OH, KY Meet With Congressional Delegations
ASC Quality and Access Act of 2011 Adds Two Co-Sponsors