Ambulatory Surgery Centers
OIG Releases 2012 Work Plan
Among the new areas of focus for the Office of Inspector General (the “OIG”) is increased scrutiny for incident-to services performed by non-physician practitioners. Specifically, the OIG is planning on investigating whether the non-physician practitioners are qualified to be performing the incident-to services that are being billed by physicians. This concern and others are highlighted… Read More »
Same Day Surgery Restrictions Removed for Ambulatory Surgical Centers
A new rule allows ambulatory surgical centers to provide patient notifications on the day of the surgery, effectively eliminating the so-called prior-day notification requirement. Prior to this rule, same day surgeries were only allowed in emergencies. The final rule is expected to take effect on December 23, 2011. The rule, provided by the Center for… Read More »
SAME DAY SURGERY NOTIFICATION RULE FOR AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERS
Ambulatory Surgery Centers (‘ASC’s”) may be required to notify patients of their rights and of the facility’s ownership before the day of surgery under a rule be considered by the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”). An exception would be made when the referring physician indicates that it is medically necessary for the patient… Read More »
ASC ADVOCACY COMMITTEE LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN
A new website hyping ambulatory surgery centers (“ASCs”) is the showpiece of a new campaign launched by the Ambulatory Surgery Center Advocacy Committee (“ASCAC”). The ASCAC includes the national and state ASC associations as well as representatives of all types of ASC operators and physicians. The campaign is called “Advancing Surgical Care” and kicked off… Read More »
CMS ADOPTS PAYMENT POLICY & RATE CHANGES FOR SERVICES IN HOSPITAL OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENTS AND AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTERS FOR 2010
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has announced that most hospitals will receive an inflation update of 2.1 percent in their payment rates for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries in outpatient departments. Due to a Medicare requirement, CMS will reduce the update by 2.0 percentage points for hospitals that did not participate in quality data… Read More »
CMS Proposes Medicare Payment Increase for ASCs in 2010
CMS recently issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that includes proposals for policy changes and payment rates for services in ambulatory surgical centers (“ASCs”), which would continue the expansion of surgical procedures that Medicare would cover for services performed in ASCs. The proposed rule seeks to make sure that beneficiaries have access to outpatient services… Read More »
HHS Announces Infection Control Surveys for Ambulatory Surgery Centers
To help prevent serious infections resulting from services performed in ambulatory surgical centers, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) will use the funds provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“ARRA”) to implement the nationwide application of a new infection control survey tool developed in consultation with the Centers for… Read More »
CMS Updates Medicare Conditions for Coverage for ASCs
The long-awaited Final Rule updating Medicare Conditions for Coverage (CFCs) for Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) has finally been published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS). The Final Rule represents the first major non-payment related update to the ASC CfCs since they were originally published in 1982. The requirements of the Final Rule are… Read More »
