Legal/Regulatory Issues The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) announced its support for the Outpatient Surgery Access Act of 2026. ASCA states that the legislation, if enacted, would “stabilize ASC reimbursements” by requiring CMS to use “the same inflation factor used to update hospital payment rates,” while also removing a “budget neutrality adjustment…
Just days after announcing that Vermont had become the 26th U.S. state to opt out of physician supervision of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) has announced that Ohio has become the 27th state to do so. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine informed CMS of the…
The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology announced that Vermont patients now have “increased access to safe anesthesia care” as the state became the 26th in the nation to opt out of federal regulations that require physician supervision of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). After Gov. Phil Scott sent a letter…
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has sent a letter to the Office of the United States Trade Representative to ask that medications, medical devices and other healthcare equipment and supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) be exempted from proposed duties on goods from other nations. In the letter, signed by…
The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) has reminded ASCs that new requirements for accessible medical diagnostic equipment take effect on Tuesday, July 8. ASCs that participate in Medicare, Medicaid, or other grant or funding programs from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and use the covered equipment…
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) last week released the 2027 proposed payment rule for ASCs and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). You can access and download a PDF of the full 723-page rule here. In addition to issuing a press release headlined “CMS Disincentivizes Procedure Migration with Decline…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that a nationwide shortage of stereotactic breast biopsy needles due to a manufacturing disruption is expected to last through March 2027. In the meantime, it states that the supply disruption “is expected to impact patient care and may require adjustments to the…
According to reports from WSFA-TV and other media outlets, a federal bankruptcy judge has denied a request by Jackson Hospital of Montgomery, Ala., for a preliminary injunction against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBSAL) in a decision that could have ramifications for other struggling rural and community hospitals.…
CMS is “taking steps to improve healthcare quality and patient safety through enhanced oversight of Accrediting Organizations (AO).” Announcing its final rule, “Strengthening Oversight of AO and Preventing AO Conflicts of Interest,” CMS stated that it wants to ensure AOs “use Medicare standards.” It added that the final rule also…
Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) CEO Bill Prentice last week submitted comments in response to CMS’ 2027 Inpatient Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule. In particular, Mr. Prentice provided feedback on a request for information regarding the inclusion of ASCs in the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) or “other similar episode-based…
