Law firm Reed Smith has taken a deep dive into a complex business and regulatory issue: the relationship and competition between office-based labs (OBLs) and traditional ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and the changes to that dynamic presented by CMS' 2026 Final Rule for ASCs. “The landscape for [OBLs] continues to…

Read More

Kara Newbury, JD, chief advocacy officer of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), recently spent some time with OR Manager to discuss the impact of CMS’ 2026 Final Payment Rule, as well as how ASCA is working with both regulators and legislators to achieve even more gains for the ASC…

Read More

In its 2026 Final Payment Rule, CMS added 573 codes to the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL). It’s a big win for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) and its advocacy efforts. Kara Newbury, JD, ASCA’s chief advocacy officer, first and foremost views the rule through the lens of Medicare…

Read More

Sutter Health last week broke ground on its new Advanced Cancer Center and Care Complex in Modesto, Calif. The project, estimated to cost $380 million, is part of the not-for-profit health system’s multi-year commitment to expand health care services and enhance patient access to high-quality outpatient and specialty care for…

Read More

Fierce Healthcare reports that Ascension’s $3.9 billion deal to acquire AmSurg, which operates more than 250 ASCs in 34 states, will enable the nonprofit system to enter 25 new markets and strike new partnerships with independent physicians and other health systems, according to remarks by its new president and CEO…

Read More

TriasMD, parent company of DISC Surgery Centers, announced yesterday that DISC Surgery Center at Tarzana (Calif.) has opened and is ready to serve the San Fernando Valley. The purpose-built ASC will provide spine, joint, and interventional pain care services, including motion-preservation techniques. The ASC features three high-tech ORs and 11…

Read More

CoxHealth posted on LinkedIn last week that it formally kicked off construction of what it calls the largest pediatric outpatient center in Southwest Missouri. The St. Louis Children’s at CoxHealth Specialty Care Center is a joint project among CoxHealth, St. Louis Children's Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St.…

Read More

Methodist Richardson (Texas) Medical Center officially opened its new ambulatory surgical center (ASC) in a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week. Methodist Richardson Medical Center President Ken Hutchenrider, FACHE, told local news outlet Community Impact that the hospital has worked to add an ASC to its campus for three years. “It’s really to further…

Read More

Florida Coast Medical Center (FCMC) last week told South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report that it plans to expand its adjacent Medical Office Building (MOB) in Port St. Lucie, Fla., to include a new ambulatory surgery center (ASC). The MOB, which opened alongside FCMC in September, is being positioned as…

Read More

Tri-City Cardiology Ambulatory Surgical Center announced on Dec. 29 that it had surpassed 6,000 completed procedures, which it said underscores its commitment and ability to deliver “high-quality, patient-centered cardiovascular care in an outpatient setting.” The Mesa, Ariz.-based practice said Tri-City Cardiology ASC was designed to expand patient access to “highly personalized…

Read More