October 2021 Issue of Becker's ASC Review
ON THE COVER
99 ASC benchmarks to know | 2021
Here are 99 operations, finance and quality benchmarks in ASCs gathered from several sources across the industry.
How Walmart and Amazon's healthcare moves may affect ASCs
Walmart and Amazon have made big moves in recent years to expand their presence in the healthcare industry.
The biggest threats to ASCs today
ASCs have faced multiple challenges since the pandemic began in March 2020, from limited elective procedures and temporary center closures to staff furloughs and high personal protective equipment costs.
Payers shifting strategy to keep physicians independent
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan added a physician management services business to its portfolio in early August, following a trend of insurance companies seeking to partner with or employ physician groups to keep them independent of hospitals.
9 procedures CMS plans to keep on office-based payable list
The proposed 2022 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and ASC Payment System, released July 19, outlined nine procedures slated to temporarily remain on CMS' office-based payable list in 2022.
13 fastest growing private ASC, physician companies, per Inc. 5000
Thirteen ASC and physician practice groups or management companies appeared on Inc. 5000's 2021 list of fastest-growing private companies.
$17M medical office building, ASC sold in Florida
Two affiliates of Montecito Medical Real Estate sold a two-story medical office building in Weston, Fla. for $17.2 million, The Real Deal reported Sept. 2.
What are GI's biggest disruptors?
Seven gastroenterology leaders spoke with Becker's ASC Review on what they see as the biggest disruptor in the GI industry.
24-clinic Florida practice files for bankruptcy
Boca Raton, Fla.-based Path Medical has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with $86.5 million in liabilities, South Florida Business Journal reported Sept. 2.
Patients save an average $684 per procedure at ASCs, UnitedHealth says
Shifting routine outpatient procedures to ASCs can save commercially insured patients $684 on average per procedure, according to a Sept. 8 report from UnitedHealth Group.
ASC MANAGEMENT
How Walmart and Amazon's healthcare moves may affect ASCs
Walmart and Amazon have made big moves in recent years to expand their presence in the healthcare industry.
More indirect pay arrangements scrutinized in proposed Stark update: 3 details
CMS aims to refine Stark Law regulations on indirect compensation arrangements for physician referrals to services performed by immediate family members.
Stark regs tightened on physician group pay for ancillaries: 5 details
The Stark regulations governing pay methodology for ancillary services in group practices will change Jan. 1, prompting some organizations to rewrite their policies.
Physician signing bonuses reach $240,000, ASCs promote long term ROI
The high end of physician signing bonuses reached well into six figures last year, according to the Merritt Hawkins 2021 Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives released Aug. 9.
Carle Health's $70M campus with ASC: 3 updates
Urbana, Ill.-based Carle Health is building a near-$70 million campus with an ASC.
CODING & BILLING
Payers shifting strategy to keep physicians independent
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan added a physician management services business to its portfolio in early August, following a trend of insurance companies seeking to partner with or employ physician groups to keep them independent of hospitals.
Minnesota ASC eyes expansion amid proposed zoning change
A proposed zoning change is laying the groundwork for the expansion of Duluth, Minn.-based Lakewalk Surgery Center, Duluth News Tribune reported Sept. 12.
CMS to mandate ASC employees get COVID-19 vaccine or risk losing payment
CMS plans to require ASCs, along with all other healthcare providers, to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for staff as a condition of participating in Medicare.
What happened when an insurer rescinded surgery approval after the case started
Anthony Romeo, MD, executive vice president of the Musculoskeletal Institute of DuPage Medical Group in Downers Grove, Ill., was ready to perform orthopedic surgery on a sedated patient earlier this summer when his office received a surprising call.
Arkansas eye center sued for $815K over alleged billing fraud scheme: 4 details
The attorney general of Arkansas is suing Conway (Ark.) Eye Care and Todd Eye Clinic over allegations that the practice defrauded Medicaid thousands of dollars.
ANETHESIA
50-physician anesthesia group must end allegedly illegal noncompete contracts, pay $110K: Washington AG
The state of Washington filed an antitrust consent decree Aug. 25 against Bellingham (Wa.) Anesthesia Associates, urging the group to end allegedly illegal noncompete contracts and pay $110,000 to the state.
'The government pays us less than they pay their plumber': Anesthesia leaders on reimbursement challenges
From labor shortages to surprise billing legislation, five leaders in anesthesiology spoke with Becker's ASC Review on the biggest reimbursement challenges they experience.
What's the biggest opportunity for growth in anesthesiology?
For one CEO, the biggest opportunity for growth is a joint venture between ASC owners and anesthesia providers.
Physicians Partners of America expands anesthesia services to ASCs
Tampa-based Physicians Partners of America is expanding its anesthesia division to offer services to both hospitals and ASCs. Ronald Hayes, MD, will lead the division.
4 anesthesia industry updates
An Illinois hospital had to postpone elective surgeries for almost three weeks because of a lack of anesthesia providers.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
The biggest threats to ASCs today
ASCs have faced multiple challenges since the pandemic began in March 2020, from limited elective procedures and temporary center closures to staff furloughs and high personal protective equipment costs.
'This is a time for ASCs to thrive,' surgeon says on the looming physician shortage
More than 2 of 5 active physicians will be older than 65 in the next decade, but one surgeon said he thinks this could be a benefit for practicing physicians.
ASCs are a hot ticket for buyers, but there's a dark side
The value ASCs bring to the healthcare system is undeniable, and buyers are watching.
The biggest disrupter of the ASC industry? Patients, CEO says
ASCs can benefit from the new "shopping" era of healthcare, according to Andre Blom, CEO of Des Plaines-based Illinois Bone & Joint Institute.
6 physicians share their best career decisions
While some of physicians' worst career decisions had to do with finances, medical specialization and hiring decisions, accepting new opportunities and continuing education were a couple of decisions physicians told Becker's have been the best of their career so far.
ORTHOPEDICS
New York orthopedists indicted in $31M 'trip-and-fall' scheme that preyed on poor
A group of physicians and lawyers were indicted this week, accused of recruiting a network of people for a slip-and-fall scheme that defrauded New York City businesses and insurance companies of more than $31 million.
National Spine & Pain Center to pay $5.1M billing fraud settlement: 5 details
A Rockville, Md.-based spine and pain center chain will pay millions to resolve Medicare fraud claims.
Orthopedic surgeon base pay fell 13% in 2020-21
The base salary for orthopedic surgeons dropped 13 percent in the past year, according to the Merritt Hawkins 2021 Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives, released Aug. 9.
What's worrying spine surgeons?
The spread of the coronavirus' delta variant, increasing prior authorization requirements are among the biggest concerns for spine surgeons in the coming months.
Spine surgeon side gigs: Expert witness, venture capitalist & more
Many physicians take on nonmedical sige gigs, with real estate, investing and consultant opportunities being the three most common areas physicians are drawn to.
GASTROENTROLOGY
What are GI's biggest disruptors?
Seven gastroenterology leaders spoke with Becker's ASC Review on what they see as the biggest disruptor in the GI industry.
44% of women in GI experience difficulty finding a mentor: 4 stats to know
Women comprise only 18 percent of practicing U.S. gastroenterologists, and a new survey found that many have a hard time finding mentors.
Weill Cornell Medicine names GI division chief
Robert Brown, MD, was named chief of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.
GI provider waited 'months' to tell 161,000+ patients they were exposed in ransomware attack
Houston-based Gastroenterology Consultants allegedly waited months before informing the more than 161,000 patients that their data was exposed in ransomware attack, KHOU 11 reported Sept. 9.
5 fast facts on Gastro Health's CEO
Joseph Garcia has been the CEO of Miami-based Gastro Health since February 2018.
TRANSACTIONS
63% of Q2 physician practice deals had private equity buyers
Physician practice deals heated up in the first half of the year, with private equity firms driving much of the activity.
9 ASC acquisitions in August
A roundup of ASC purchases making news this month:
$17M medical office building, ASC sold in Florida
Two affiliates of Montecito Medical Real Estate sold a two-story medical office building in Weston, Fla. for $17.2 million, The Real Deal reported Sept. 2.
Virginia medical office building, ASC sell for $52M
JLL Income Property Trust acquired a medical office building with an ASC in Richmond, Va., for about $52 million, the company said Sept. 16.
4,000-physician group in California to add more than 220 providers
The largest independent physician association in California will add more than 200 members later this year, making it the largest IPA in the U.S.
HEALTHCARE NEWS
Breakthrough COVID-19 infection risk may differ with vaccine type, early Mayo Clinic research suggests
People who received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be less likely to experience a breakthrough infection compared to Pfizer vaccine recipients, findings published Aug. 8 in preprint server medRxiv suggest.
Former New York physician gets 15 years in prison for unlawfully prescribing pain pills
A former New York physician was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison Aug. 26 after pleading guilty to unlawfully distributing oxycodone in 2019, according to a Justice Department report.
Physician admits to stealing more than $500K from New Jersey practice
Walter Sytnik, DO, of Voorhees, N.J., admitted Sept. 9 to defrauding his former employer, an unnamed New Jersey medical practice, to the tune of more than $500,000. Dr. Voorhees stole checks from the practice and used them to pay personal expenses.
A breakdown of 10 recent CMS actions
CMS issued several notices, actions and plans since March 1. The actions include updates on telehealth coverage, Medicare rules and payment models.
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be more effective than Pfizer, J&J shots at preventing hospitalization, study finds
Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine was more effective at preventing hospitalizations caused by the virus than Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson's vaccines in a study released Sept. 10 by the CDC.