Category: ASC Coding, Billing and Collections

Physicians say HCA hospitals push patients to hospice care for metrics 

Physicians have alleged that executives within Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare pressure hospital staff to persuade patients’ families to initiate end-of-life care to boost metrics, according to claims made in a June 21 NBC News report. 

How a new Stark Law exception could help physicians

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 updated exceptions to Stark Law and Anti-Kickback law that will allow hospitals and healthcare providers to improve mental health services for physicians, attorneys from law firm ArentFox Schiff wrote in an a…

Optum plans for continued hip, knee ASC volume growth

OptumHealth’s network of providers and surgery centers is seeing strong outpatient surgery volumes, especially for hips, knees and senior services.

How physician can become 'captains of their own fates' once more

Harry Severance, MD, an adjunct assistant professor at Durham, N.C.-based Duke University School of Medicine, joined Becker’s to discuss how physicians can leverage their power. 

ASCs' shrinking reimbursements: 5 notes to know 

ASCs are facing declining reimbursements as operating costs soar. 

Outpatient site-neutral pay pitched (again) to CMS: 5 notes

MedPAC advocated for site-neutral pay for 66 outpatient procedures in a June 15 report, lowering 57 procedures to the office-based care rate and nine procedures to ASC rates.

5 antikickback suits to know

Here are five healthcare antikickback cases to know from the last month:

Ohio bill seeks to improve prior authorization process

The Ohio Legislature has introduced a new bill designed to streamline the prior authorization process by giving a yearlong exemption to providers who have an average of 80 percent or more of their requests approved, according to a June 12 report from N…

Aetna in the headlines: 4 updates in 60 days

Here are four stories Becker’s has covered about CVS Health’s insurance company, Aetna, since April 20: 

Physicians want a noncompete ban now. Here's why. 

The American Medical Association is taking action to ban noncompete contracts for physicians employed by for-profit or nonprofit hospitals, hospital systems or staffing company employers, according to a June 13 blog post from the AMA.