ASCA Audio Update

Tune in to this audio update to hear ASCA CEO Bill Prentice describe the total remaking of ASCA’s Clinical & Operational Benchmarking Survey into what is now simply called ASCA Benchmarking . Bill discusses the decision to make ASCA Benchmarking free for ASCA members, the transition to the new survey platform, the addition of three specialty tracks to the survey and the new participation requi...

In this audio update, ASCA Associate Director of Public & Regulatory Affairs Alex Taira summarizes key elements of the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule. While the MPFS does not directly affect ASC reimbursements, its implications are of significant concern to ASCs, their physician practitioners and the patients they serve. In his analysis of the rule, Alex discusses the u...

In this audio update, ASCA Chief Executive Officer Bill Prentice explains the impasse that led to the federal government shutdown, its impact on Medicare reimbursements and administration, and the health policy issues still in contention. At the time of this release, the federal government has been shut down for the past 10 days. Since no one can predict when or how the government closure will be...

On this week’s audio update, ASCA Associate Director of Membership & Business Development Mykal Cox joins host Charlie Leonard for a discussion about the benefits of ASCA membership. Mykal offers a sneak peek of Member Appreciation Week, which is August 25–29, including daily games, prizes and more. Mykal also discusses the benefits of early membership renewal, beginning in September, includin...

On 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...

On 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.

On this week’s audio update, ASCA Director of Government Affairs Stephen Abresch discusses Indiana HB 1003 , a state legislative proposal that could reduce reimbursements for certain surgical procedures to the physician office rates, even if the procedures are performed in a hospital outpatient department (HOPD) or an ASC. While this legislation would only affect facilities in Indiana, similar con...

On 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 severa...

On 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...

On 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...

On 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 AS...

On 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—physi...

On 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 p...

On 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 gov...

On 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 p...

On 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. Thi...

On 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 beneficiarie...

On 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 phy...

This 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 jus...

On 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 o...

As 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 managemen...

On this week’s audio update, ASCA’s past president Rebecca Craig, RN, CASC, talks about how she and her staff at Harmony Surgery Center in Fort Collins, Colorado, rely on patient satisfaction surveys to constantly improve their patients’ experiences. Rebecca also shares her experience implementing the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CA...

On 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 sup...

On 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 qualific...

This 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 Q...