Value
ASCs provide innovative, high-quality, patient-centered care delivering a wide array of important therapeutic and diagnostic ambulatory services to patients throughout the country. In addition, ASCs create a significant savings for both patients and the health care system.
Value for Patients
ASCs are usually the most cost-effective solution for surgical procedures for both patients and taxpayers. In fact, ASCs save Medicare beneficiaries an average of 56 percent on their coinsurance.
The value of ASCs is not just about savings. When surveyed, over 92 percent of patients reported being satisfied with their service at an ASC. Since facilities often specialize in one or more procedures, patients have access to the latest technology and innovation as well as a skilled medical staff. ASCs are also conveniently located in communities around the country, providing greater accessibility for patients. Procedures are not delayed or rescheduled, and research shows that ASCs offer faster recovery times following a procedure.
Value for Healthcare
ASCs are also a cost-effective solution for payors, including private insurers, commercial payors and the Medicare system.[1] Currently, ASCs save Medicare roughly $2 billion annually, and shifting just 50 percent of eligible outpatient procedures from hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) to ASCs would result in an additional $2.3 billion in savings to Medicare.
Despite ASCs’ role in creating savings for the health care system, Congress prohibited the Medicare program from increasing ASC payment rates for six years. As a result, the relationship between ASC and HOPD payments fell from 86 to 58 percent for identical services since 2003. The 1.2 percent update in 2010 did not narrow the gap between the ASC and hospital payments. The increasing separation between rates will jeopardize facilities’ ability to recruit and retain a skilled workforce, keep pace with technological advancements, implement electronic health records, and comply with increasingly complex regulations. Further, continued pressure on ASC payments could shift care away from ASCs to more expensive settings.
With faster recoveries, shorter waiting times and convenient and cost-effective care, ASCs have become an important provider of outpatient medical care in the US, committed to providing quality patient care at a significant savings to the individual and the health care system.
7 Koenig L, Doherty J, Dreyfus J, Xanthopoulos J. An Analysis of Recent Growth of Ambulatory Surgical Centers. KNG Health Consulting, LLC; 2009.
8 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. http://www.cms.gov/.
Did You Know?
ASCs save Medicare $2,000,000,000 (2 billion) annually by providing low-cost services learn more >
