Shows
Advancing Surgical Care PodcastAnalysis of CMS’ 2026 Proposed Payment RuleIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice and ASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury summarize the key provisions of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) 2026 proposed payment rule for ASCs and hospital outpatient departments. During this enlightening conversation, Prentice and Newbury break down the proposed inflationary update and other related factors for procedures performed in ASCs. They also discuss the significant number of additional procedures that would be added to the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL) and the proposed elimination of several quality reporting requirements. Comments on the pro...2025-07-2416 min
Advancing Surgical Care PodcastA Conversation with Leading ASC Operational Expert Naya KehayesIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with Naya Kehayes about her presentation “Pro Tips for Successful ASC Payer Contract Negotiations” at ASCA’s annual conference in Denver this past May. Kehayes, a national speaker on ASC business strategy and current member of the ASCA Government Affairs Committee, covers highlights from her presentation and provides practical and insightful advice that can benefit every ASC. 2025-06-1616 min
ASCA Audio UpdateCapping Medicare Copay Fees for ASC ProceduresOn this week’s audio update, ASCA Director of Government Affairs Stephen Abresch discusses new federal legislation that would substantially benefit ASCs and their Medicare patients. Currently, when a Medicare beneficiary receives treatment in an ASC, they are responsible for 20 percent of their cost of care, with no limit on the amount of their copay. However, when a Medicare beneficiary receives identical care in a hospital outpatient department, their copay is capped at the hospital inpatient deductible amount, which is $1,676 for 2025. As a result, Medicare patients treated in an ASC face higher copays for approximately 183 procedures. Tune in and le...2025-05-1306 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA’s 10 Under 40 Honors ProgramOn this week’s audio update, ASCA Editor in Chief Sahely Mukerji talks about ASCA’s new 10 Under 40 Honors program. This program recognizes rising stars under the age of 40 who are making waves in their facilities and shaping the ASC community. Tune in to learn how you can nominate a colleague for this prestigious honor and have them featured in ASC Focus magazine in September 2025.2025-03-3104 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastASCA’s 2025 Public Policy PrioritiesIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice and ASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury preview ASCA’s public policy priorities for 2025, including improved Medicare reimbursement for ASCs, additions to the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL) and removal of several ASC Quality Reporting Program measures. During their discussion, Prentice and Newbury talk in detail about positively positioning ASCs for the current national political environment, where overall health spending reductions and regulatory reform are already taking precedence in the new Congress and administration.2025-02-2417 minASCA Audio UpdateNew ASCA Member Benefits for 2025On this week’s audio update, ASCA Meetings Director Shawn Bryant discusses new ASCA member education benefits for 2025. Starting this year, ASCA membership includes ASCA’s entire suite of virtual education. ASCA members now have unlimited access to ASCA’s virtual courses and webinars at no additional cost. Shawn also reviews the registration process for upcoming education courses as well as several other benefits included in ASCA membership.2025-02-0305 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastASCA Board Members Address Anesthesia Provider ShortageIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA President Mark Wainner discusses the current shortage of anesthesia providers confronting ASC operators with Alfonso del Granado, ASCA Board member and administrator of Covenant High Plains Surgery Centers in Lubbock, Texas.Del Granado shares some of the management techniques he employs to better use anesthesia providers within the facilities he oversees. Chief among the recommendations that del Granado makes are some detailed examples of how to efficiently schedule anesthesia providers, as well as managing a profitable mix of patients who have commercial or government insurance.2025-01-0918 minASCA Audio UpdateCelebrating a Legacy: Kay Tucker Reflects on 30 Years with ASCAOn this very special audio update, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice talks with ASCA Director of Communications Kay Tucker about her retirement at the end of December. Kay has had an almost 30-year affiliation with ASCA, beginning as a consultant, followed by 18 years as its director of communications. Bill and Kay revisit several of her most impactful accomplishments and the milestones that marked their 14 years working together. Over the course of her distinguished career, Kay worked with hundreds of ASCA members and volunteers, and this brief but poignant conversation captures the essence of her time at ASCA, which was characterized...2024-12-1713 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA Benefits in 2025On this week’s audio update, ASCA Associate Director of Membership & Business Development Mykal Cox and ASCA Director of Meetings Shawn Bryant provide important information regarding ASCA membership for 2025 and details about the ASCA 2025 Conference & Expo in Denver, Colorado. Tune in to learn how ASCA members will benefit by renewing their membership for next year and what attendees can look forward to at the conference.2024-11-2504 minASCA Audio UpdatePost-Election OutlookOn this week’s audio update, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice provides a preliminary look at the challenges and opportunities for ASCs in the new Congress and administration. Considering the announcement of several administration nominees and the formation of key congressional committees and leadership, Bill explains how the combination of ASC allies and new faces could affect health policies relating to ASCs. With so much at stake, he also provides ample reasons why ASCA members need to actively participate in advocating for the ASC segment of healthcare.2024-11-1806 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastMedicare’s 2025 Final Payment RuleIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with ASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury about the 2025 final ASC payment rule that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released November 1. Bill and Kara discuss the results of the annual rulemaking process on the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL), the inflationary adjustment and reimbursements for specific surgical procedures, and ASC quality reporting requirements for the coming year. They also consider ways the recent presidential and congressional elections and the impending change in the administration could impact surgery centers.2024-11-1319 minASCA Audio UpdateCongress to Consider Fix for Medicare Physician Payment CutsOn this week’s audio update, ASCA Regulatory Policy & Research Manager Alex Taira talks about the financial impact that rulemaking at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has on physicians who care for Medicare patients, including those who treat patients in ASCs. Faced with another reduction in the reimbursement rates Medicare pays—after almost five years of reductions—physicians have turned to Congress for some relief. Alex summarizes new legislation that would reverse the Medicare proposal and fund a small, inflationary adjustment. The legislation, which will likely be considered when Congress returns from campaigning, has garnered widespread support from b...2024-11-0405 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA Responds to CMS’ Prior Authorization Project for ASCsOn this week’s audio update, ASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury provides an important update about the prior authorization project for ASCs announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in February. This novel demonstration project would require ASCs to perform a small number of certain procedures to obtain prior authorization from CMS before being able to perform the procedures on Medicare patients. ASCA and many healthcare providers have serious concerns about the value and effectiveness of prior authorizations. Tune in to learn more about ASCA’s objections and the advocacy steps the organization is taking to seek...2024-10-2907 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA CEO Addresses Current IV Solutions ShortageOn this week’s audio update, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice discusses the current shortage of IV fluids affecting healthcare providers across the country, including surgery centers. Bill discusses the recovery efforts being undertaken to restore manufacturing capacity at Baxter’s North Carolina manufacturing facility that was badly damaged during Hurricane Helene. He also details the steps the federal government is taking to address the shortage, including allowing the importation of IV solutions from foreign manufacturers, as well as ASCA’s efforts to press for more federal relief and keep members of the ASC community informed through postings on the ASCA w...2024-10-1505 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA Board Member Jon Van Valkenburg Offers Insights into Orthopedic Procedures in ASCsOn this week’s audio update, Jon Van Valkenburg, executive director of Upstate Orthopedics Ambulatory Surgery Center in East Syracuse, New York, and a member of the ASCA Board, provides a 360-degree look at the opportunities and challenges facing outpatient orthopedic surgery centers today. Tune in to learn why a growing demand for orthopedic procedures, rising with an increasingly active senior population in the US, faces some stiff headwinds in the form of reimbursement concerns, workforce challenges and inflationary pressures.2024-10-0711 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastAdding Cardiovascular Procedures to the ASC Covered Procedures ListIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury leads a discussion with Dr. David Kenigsberg, a Florida-based clinical cardiac electrophysiologist and a member of ASCA’s Cardiovascular Working Group. This short but insightful program focuses on the kinds of cardiovascular procedures that are being safely performed in the outpatient setting today as well as ASCA’s efforts to persuade the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to add additional cardiovascular procedures to its ASC Covered Procedures List.2024-09-2515 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA President Mark Wainner Participates in White House Healthcare SummitOn this week’s audio update, ASCA President Mark Wainner talks about attending a recent White House summit aimed at improving patient and workforce safety across the US healthcare system. The summit brought together senior healthcare officials from across the federal government, leaders from 22 national healthcare organizations—including ASCA—and representatives from 16 major hospital systems. This was a first-of-its-kind meeting at The White House and a very prestigious opportunity for ASCA to participate in policymaking at the highest level. To learn more, listen to Mark’s brief recap of the meeting.2024-09-2306 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA Submits Formal Comments on Medicare’s 2025 Proposed Payment RuleOn this week’s audio update, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice and ASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury discuss the association’s recent submission to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the 2025 proposed payment rule for ASCs. This annual rule determines reimbursement rates, covered procedures, quality reporting requirements and more for ASCs that treat Medicare beneficiaries. Listen to this short discussion to learn more about these critical issues and ASCA’s advocacy efforts aimed at advancing the interests of your ASC and the patients you treat. 2024-09-1612 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA Comments on Proposed 2025 Physician Fee ScheduleOn this week’s audio update, ASCA Regulatory Policy & Research Manager Alex Taira summarizes key elements of comments ASCA recently submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the agency’s proposed Physician Fee Schedule for 2025. While the Physician Fee Schedule does not affect ASC reimbursements, its implications are of significant concern to ASCs, their physician practitioners and the patients they serve. In his remarks, Alex addresses reductions in physician reimbursements as well as several related regulatory matters that impact physician billing and patient care.2024-09-0907 minASCA Audio UpdateASC News RoundupThis week’s recording provides an update on the 2025 proposed payment rule for ASCs; information about early registration for the ASCA 2025 Conference & Expo in Denver, Colorado; important news about ASCA membership renewals; and highlights from a recent study published in Perioperative Medicine journal regarding the safety and efficacy of surgeries performed in ASCs. We hope you will take just a few minutes to listen to this news.2024-09-0303 minASCA Audio UpdateAssociation Governance with Colin Rorrie, PhDOn this week’s audio update, Colin Rorrie, PhD, ASCA’s senior governance and leadership adviser, discusses the attributes that make for good governance and association stewardship. He extols the importance of member participation in the development of the association’s operating committees, strategic plans and advocacy efforts, and explains how ASCA’s new method for electing members to the board of directors conforms with best practices in association governance today.2024-08-2606 minASCA Audio UpdateRecognizing National ASC Month with David Shapiro, MDAs part of National ASC Month, we invited David Shapiro, MD, to talk about the evolution of surgery centers, the critical need for ASCA members to participate in ASC advocacy and the outlook for the future of the surgery center community. David is a member of the ASCA Board and a past president of the association. He is also an anesthesiologist with extensive experience in surgery center management and has been actively involved in multiple ASC-related organizations and advocacy efforts.2024-08-1207 minASCA Audio UpdateA Discussion about One World Surgery with Rena CourtayOn this week’s audio update, ASCA Board Secretary Rena Courtay, MBA, BSN, RN, CASC, talks about her visit to the new One World Surgery clinic and surgery center in the Dominican Republic. One World Surgery is a US-based nonprofit that conducts weeklong medical missions at its facilities in Honduras and the Dominican Republic. For the past eight years, the ASCA Foundation has provided financial support to One World Surgery, including a scholarship program for ASCA volunteers. ASCA members have participated in a number of their missions, bringing together clinical participants, nonclinical participants and family members to perform life-changing su...2024-07-2906 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA’s ASC Administrator Development ProgramOn this week’s audio update, ASCA Immediate Past President Mandy Hawkins is joined by ASCA Board Member Alfonso del Granado for a short discussion about the association’s ASC Administrator Development Program. Mandy and Alfonso have both served as mentors in the program. They take this opportunity to discuss the roles of both mentors and mentees, the yearlong course curriculum, enrollment qualifications, and the current application period, which remains open only until July 31, 2024.2024-07-2205 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastAdvocating for ASCsIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with Todd Currier, ASCA Board treasurer and administrator of Bend Surgery Center in Bend, Oregon, about the importance of having ASC owners and physicians involved in ASCA’s federal ASC advocacy efforts. They also discuss ways every ASC could benefit from Currier’s model for owner engagement and participation. Today, 90 percent of the physicians practicing at Bend Surgery Center contribute to ASCAPAC, the only political action committee devoted exclusively to advancing the issues that matter most to ASCs of every specialty throughout the US.2024-07-1611 minASCA Audio UpdateMedicare’s 2025 Proposed Payment Rule for ASCsThis week, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice and ASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury discuss highlights of the 2025 proposed payment rule for ASCs and hospital outpatient departments (HOPD) released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 10. In their brief discussion, Bill and Kara report on the inflation update factor projected for ASCs in 2025, new requirements for the ASC Quality Reporting Program that could be implemented and new procedures CMS proposed for addition to the ASC Covered Procedures List.2024-07-1509 minASCA Audio UpdateU.S. News & World Report ASC Ratings ProgramThis week, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice discusses the ASC performance ratings that U.S. News & World Report announced in May. ASCA has had ongoing discussions with the magazine’s ratings team about this first report. Most recently, ASCA and ASC Quality Collaboration Executive Director Kathy Wilson met with the team in mid-June to share concerns about the methodology used, inaccuracies in the data and ways to improve the ability of individual ASCs to respond to future ratings before they are published.2024-07-0104 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA’s Outreach and Communications ActivitiesThis week, ASCA Director of Communications Kay Tucker talks about ASCA’s media relations, publications, outbound communications and member communications resources—all of which are designed to educate patients and the public about surgery centers and keep ASCA members fully informed on developments in healthcare, regulatory and public policy, and upcoming ASCA events. Tune in to learn more about ASCA’s communications efforts and the tools and resources available for members.2024-06-2406 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastUnleash the Power of Data to Transform Your ASCIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with Will Evans, senior director of data science & insights at HST Pathways, following Evans’s presentation at ASCA 2024 in Orlando, Florida, earlier this year. Evans explains how even small, standalone surgery centers can capture and analyze data to improve their financial performance and patient outcomes. He also offers practical advice for sharing performance data with ASC personnel in nonthreatening and constructive ways.2024-06-1713 minASCA Audio UpdateGet Ready for National ASC MonthASCA Government Affairs Manager Maia Kunkel talks about preparing for National ASC Month, which is less than two months away, starting August 1. Maia discusses how individual ASCs can get involved in promotional activities, including media outreach, social media posts, and facility tours for state and federal elected officials. In under six minutes, learn how Maia and ASCA can help you plan now for a successful month of promoting the benefits of your ASC.2024-06-1005 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastThe ABCs of an Effective, Compliant ASC Infection Prevention PlanIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with Debbie Mack, RN, CAIP, a leading infection prevention (IP) educator and consultant, following an IP session Mack presented at the ASCA 2024 Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida.Beginning with the ongoing training a surgery center’s infection preventionist should seek each year and the need to document that training, Mack and Prentice talk through a list of key elements a comprehensive IP program should include. They also discuss ways to make compliance easier and the workplace culture needed to support a ho...2024-06-0311 minASCA Audio UpdateHot Topics in State LegislationASCA Assistant Director of Government Affairs Stephen Abresch provides a short summary of some of the more pressing issues he and several state ASC associations are currently monitoring in state legislatures around the country. Mostly, he focuses on legislation that would limit or restrict facility fees, change certificate of need policies, add new licensure requirements to certain ASCs, and place new conditions on ASC acquisitions and ownership by hedge funds and private equity investors. While the issues Stephen talks about may be specific to a handful of states today, it’s not uncommon to see policy ideas spread from st...2024-06-0308 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA Member Retirement Plan ProgramASCA Chief Financial Officer John Greenwich talks about the ASCA Member Retirement Plan available to all ASCA members and their employees. John summarizes the key features and benefits of the plan for ASCA members, including the ability to off-load compliance and fiduciary responsibilities, potential cost savings and the opportunity to eliminate a common administrative burden. With employee recruitment and retention challenges across the ASC community, this informative, six-minute talk contains information of interest to all surgery center administrators, including those with retirement plans of their own already in place.2024-05-2806 minASCA Audio UpdateAdding Procedures to Medicare’s ASC Covered Procedures ListASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury talks about what it takes to get procedures added to Medicare’s ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL), recent changes to the process and ways that ASCA and its members are involved.2024-05-2005 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastHR Strategies for Surgery Center AdministratorsIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with attorney Sal Puccio during the ASCA 2024 Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida, to discuss a range of human resources issues facing ASCs today. Puccio is widely regarded as an expert on ASC employment practices and his presentations at ASCA events are well-regarded by ASCA members. He is a partner at the law firm Garfunkel Wild and a member of the firm’s employment law, litigation and healthcare groups, among others. His practice focuses primarily on advising and counseling healthcare providers on their day-to-day bu...2024-05-2013 minASCA Audio UpdateGet to Know ASCA’s WebsiteASCA Director of Information Systems Jason Hawkins provides a behind-the-scenes look at the process of developing the new ASCA website, from initial member consultation to its launch this past fall. He also provides an overview of several of the website’s most popular features and previews additional enhancements currently in development.2024-05-1406 minASCA Audio UpdatePlease Participate in ASCA’s SurveysAnticipating the release of ASCA’s 2024 Member Survey this month, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice discusses three ways ASCA collects information from its members, the various ways it uses the results and the importance of each survey tool. He encourages every ASCA member to participate wherever possible to help determine ASCA’s future direction and supply important data that supports its advocacy on behalf of ASCs.2024-05-0705 minASCA Audio UpdateNew ASCA President Discusses Priorities During His TenureASCA’s new president, Mark Wainner, talks about his past ASC experience and what he hopes ASCA can accomplish under his leadership. 2024-04-3009 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastCybersecurity for Surgery CentersIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with Dr. Paul Alcock, chief information security officer for Surgical Information Systems, where he leads the company’s enterprise cybersecurity program, including threat and incident management, security policy and governance. Their conversation took place at ASCA’s Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, following Dr. Alcock’s presentation on cybersecurity in ASCs. With the advent of serious online threats to health care providers and their patients, Dr. Alcock’s timely counsel and advice should not be missed. 2024-04-3012 minASCA Audio UpdateMedicare Rate Calculators Now Available for ASCA MembersOn this week’s audio update, ASCA Regulatory Policy & Research Manager Alex Taira talks about how to use the association’s 2024 Medicare Rate Calculators—members-only resources that provide ASCs with their specific Medicare reimbursement rates for ASC-payable procedures. 2024-04-1605 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastA Discussion with ASCA CEO Bill Prentice and Dr. Abbey Vandersall, Vice President for Quality and Clinical Services at AMSURGIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, hear Dr. Abbey Vandersall, vice president for Quality and Clinical Services for ASC management company AMSURG, talk with ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice about the life-saving importance of colonoscopy screenings for the early detection of colorectal cancer. Their discussion also focuses on compliance with the new recommendation for testing to begin at age 45 and the critical role surgery centers have played in expanding access to colonoscopies, as well as lowering their cost for both patients and payers alike.2024-04-1115 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA’s Board Members and Clinical & Operational Benchmarking Survey On this week’s audio update, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice discusses recent changes to the ASCA bylaws relating to the election of ASCA Board members and introduces three new board candidates, as well as two returning board members. Bill also provides a quick overview of ASCA’s Clinical & Operational Benchmarking Survey and the benefits it offers both members and nonmembers of the association.2024-04-0506 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA President Looks at Opportunities to Socialize at ASCA 2024On this week’s audio update, ASCA President Mandy Hawkins previews several opportunities for networking and socializing at the ASCA 2024 Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida, next month. Mandy provides overviews of the Epic ’80s Backyard Party on Friday night, the Celebration Luncheon, a selection of wellness activities, the sold-out exhibit hall and more. Tune in, mark your calendar and bring your own ’80s style for the Friday evening event. 2024-03-2604 minASCA Audio UpdateASCA 2024 Programming and ASCA’s Members-Only Rate CalculatorsOn this week’s audio update, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice previews two outstanding expert panels that will be part of the general session program at the ASCA 2024 Conference & Expo in Orlando next month. In addition, Prentice explains how ASCA members can access Medicare reimbursement rates for both ASCs and hospital outpatient departments (HOPD) using ASCA’s proprietary rate calculators that are now available on the ASCA website.2024-03-1906 minASCA Audio UpdateTwo Important Deadlines and a Free Regulatory SeriesTune in to this week’s ASCA Audio Update to hear from ASCA CEO Bill Prentice about important upcoming deadlines for the Certified Administrator Surgery Center (CASC) credential and the ASCA 2024 Conference & Expo, as well as ASCA’s new Regulatory Series, which will be free to all ASCA members.2024-03-1203 minASCA Audio UpdateUpdates on National Advocacy Day 2024 and Medicare’s Prior Authorization ProposalIn this edition of the ASCA Audio Update, Bellingham Urology Group Chief Executive Officer Gary Richberg talks about ASCA’s fly-in and other National Advocacy Day activities in Washington, DC, last week, and ASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury provides an update on the recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcement that the agency intends to conduct a prior authorization demonstration project for ASCs providing services to Medicare patients.2024-03-0505 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastDental and Maxillofacial Surgery in ASCsIn this episode of ASCA’s Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, listen to oral surgeon Dayne Jensen, MD, explain why he believes an ASC offers the safest, most convenient setting for his patients. Then, find out how he turned his vision into reality—even for Medicaid patients in his community. In conversation with ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice, Dr. Jensen talks about ways to facilitate patient referrals, the unexpected benefits his surgery center offers his community and his experience treating Medicaid beneficiaries.2024-03-0410 minASCA Audio UpdateCMS Considers Prior Authorization and Accepts Submissions for ASC-CPLIn this edition of the ASCA Audio Update, ASCA Chief Advocacy Officer Kara Newbury discusses the recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcement that the agency intends to conduct a prior authorization demonstration project for ASCs providing services to Medicare patients, as well as ASCA’s plans for asking CMS to include additional procedures on its ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL). 2024-02-2706 minASCA Audio UpdateMedicare’s OAS CAHPS Survey Mandate and ASCA 2024In the inaugural edition of the ASCA Audio Update, ASCA CEO Bill Prentice introduces this new resource, discusses how ASCA is working to help surgery centers comply with Medicare's new OAS CAHPS Survey mandate and highlights the ASCA 2024 Conference & Expo.2024-02-2105 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastMedicare’s Final Payment Rule: Solid Progress for ASCs in 2024In this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with ASCA Regulatory Counsel and Director of Government Affairs Kara Newbury about the 2024 outpatient payment and quality reporting rule the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released on November 2, 2023. A highlight of the conversation is their discussion of ASCA’s successful efforts to add several dozen new codes to the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL). These include total shoulder arthroplasty, a procedure ASCA has long encouraged Medicare to allow its beneficiaries to access in orthopedic surgery centers. Prentice and Newbury also discuss a payment up...2023-11-1514 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastMedicare’s Final Payment Rule: Solid Progress for ASCs in 2024In this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with ASCA Regulatory Counsel and Director of Government Affairs Kara Newbury about the 2024 outpatient payment and quality reporting rule the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released on November 2, 2023. A highlight of the conversation is their discussion of ASCA’s successful efforts to add several dozen new codes to the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL). These include total shoulder arthroplasty, a procedure ASCA has long encouraged Medicare to allow its beneficiaries to access in orthopedic surgery centers. Prentice and Newbury also discuss a payment up...2023-11-1514 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastGet Ready to Vote on Updates to ASCA’s BylawsIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks about several proposed amendments to ASCA’s bylaws that voting representatives from ASCA facility members will be asked to vote on between November 17 and December 13, 2023. In total, there are nine amendments covering five subject areas that ASCA members will be asked to approve in a single ballot question. The amendments clarify the definition of a voting member of ASCA, align nominations and elections to the ASCA Board of Directors with best practices of modern trade associations and simplify the process for future amendments to...2023-11-1410 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastPreparing for OAS CAHPSIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice and ASCA Director of Education & Clinical Affairs Gina Throneberry discuss the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) Survey, a postoperative patient survey developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Beginning in January 2025, OAS CAHPS will become a mandatory part of Medicare’s Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program, and ASCs will be required to use a CMS-approved, third-party vendor to administer the survey to their patients. In this short, but highly informative program, Prentice an...2023-11-0811 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastMedicare Patients Deserve a Choice: The Case for Safe, Effective, Cost-Saving Shoulder Surgery in ASCsIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with orthopedic surgeon and ASCA Board member David Weinstein, MD, about performing outpatient total shoulder surgeries in both hospitals and ASCs.Tens of thousands of patients with commercial insurance undergo safe, effective total shoulder surgeries in ASCs each year, saving themselves and their insurers millions of dollars. Yet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has refused to extend its insurance coverage to ASCs—the less costly site of care and the one that most patients prefer. Dr. Weinstein discusses several cl...2023-09-2813 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastCreating a Culture of Inclusion in ASCsIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice speaks with SCA Health Vice President for Talent Management Vicki Heinz about the importance of creating a culture of inclusion among ASC staff. In a conversation recorded live following Heinz’s presentation on that same topic at ASCA 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky, this past spring, Prentice and Heinz discuss how a culture of inclusion has become a vital part of an organization’s ability to recruit and retain a talented workforce, particularly among younger workers. In explaining why employers should measure their progress and be prep...2023-08-1611 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastMedicare’s 2024 Proposed ASC Payment RuleIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice and ASCA Regulatory Counsel and Director of Government Affairs Kara Newbury discuss the 2024 proposed ASC payment rule released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 13, 2023. Prentice and Newbury provide a topline summary of the 963-page proposal that looks at the proposed inflationary update factor for ASCs, changes to the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL), changes to the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program and more. Comments on the proposed rule are due by September 11, 2023. 2023-07-2426 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastA Look at ASC Marketplace Trends with nimble solutions CEO Nader SamiiIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice talks with nimble solutions Chief Executive Officer Nader Samii during a break at ASCA’s annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky, this past May. Prentice invited Samii, whose company was the platinum sponsor of this year’s event, to join him in a discussion about the current market conditions he is seeing across the ASC community, as well as the increasing investment occurring in emerging technologies such as robotics. Prentice and Samii also talk about the rebranding of National Medical Billing Services to nimble solutions and...2023-06-2012 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastThe Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act of 2023In this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, Kara Newbury, ASCA regulatory counsel and director of government affairs, leads a discussion about the Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act of 2023 (H.R. 972/S.312) with her colleagues David Opong-Wadee, ASCA manager of legislative and political affairs, and Maia Kunkel, ASCA manager of government affairs. The episode provides a summary of the key provisions of the legislation and the ways it would benefit both patients and ASCs. It also looks at the Washington, DC, fly-in and lobbying event conducted February 28 and March 1 this year as part of ASCA’s 2023 National Ad...2023-04-1314 minAdvancing Surgical Care PodcastThe Migration of Surgical Procedures from Inpatient to OutpatientIn this episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice sits down with surgery center payment policy expert Naya Kehayes for an informative discussion about the migration of surgical codes from the inpatient-only list to the list of procedures Medicare will reimburse in hospital outpatient departments (HOPD) and onto the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL). They discuss a wide range of topics, including recent migration trends, future code migration (including orthopedic and cardiovascular procedures) and ASCA’s continuing efforts to make the approval process at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services more transparent. Naya is...2023-03-1619 min