Does the federal government sanction ASCs?
A. Yes. Since 1982, when Medicare agreed to pay for surgeries performed in ASCs, the program has saved a significant amount of money. ASCs that receive Medicare payments must meet the programs certification criteria and receive payments only for those procedures that have been approved by Medicare. Today, more than 2,400 ASC procedures have been granted that approval. The Office of Inspector General commented in its 1999 final rule regarding safe harbor provisions that “ASCs can signficantly reduce costs for Federal health care programs, while simultaneously benefiting patients.” CMS has promoted the use of ASCs as cost-effective alternatives to higher cost settings, such as hospital inpatient surgery.
