Guidance from OOSS experts is available to help ASCs navigate the challenge of complying with a variety of state and federal regulations.
While quality care for patients is the top priority for ophthalmic ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), maintaining compliance with government regulations is critical to the smooth functioning of an ASC. To provide guidance in this area and others, during May the Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society (OOSS) held its Perspectives 2023 luncheon program. OOSS invited industry experts Allison Shuren, MSN, JD, a partner in the law firm Arnold and Porter, and Kevin Corcoran, COE, CPC, CPMA, FNAO, the president of Corcoran Consulting Group, to participate in a panel discussion with OOSS counsel Mike Romansky, JD, on compliance questions and ASC dilemmas.
In the program “Keeping It Straight With the Feds and the State,” the panel addressed hot topics, including competitive anesthesia provider compensation, billing and collection for premium IOLs, and co-management rules of engagement. For those who could not attend, video of this discussion and others from the Perspectives 2023 luncheon program are available at www.OOSS.org .
During August and September, OOSS will provide additional education programs about regulatory and compliance topics as well as ASC performance management, metrics, and benchmarking tools. To participate in the fall webinar series, register on the OOSS website. Sessions can be watched live or downloaded for later viewing.
Washington Update
There are some big things emanating from the nation’s capital this summer. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published the proposed 2024 ASC payment rule regulation, which includes an increase in facility payments. ASCs have now received a fee increase for 24 consecutive years.
In our comments to CMS, we will press the agency to permanently apply the hospital market basket update for ASCs. We are hoping that the agency will withdraw or modify the requirement that ASCs submit quality reports on visual function of patients before and 90 days after cataract surgery. We will also seek enhanced reimbursement for innovative ophthalmic devices and pharmaceuticals.
In addition, if, at the urging of in-office cataract surgery promoters, CMS seeks further comments on paying a facility fee for these services, OOSS will strenuously object, on patient health and safety grounds, to such reimbursement under Medicare.
Upcoming Events
The OOSS Symposium luncheon program will be held on Saturday, November 4, 2023, in San Francisco during the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s annual meeting. The agenda will include a Washington regulatory and reimbursement update, as well as discussion on optimizing your ASC’s performance in a consolidating marketplace and introducing innovation profitably.
Conversations With Peers
Whether you need a quick answer from peers about an operational challenge, a source for supplies, or an opinion on policies, OOSSTalk is a resource that allows members to converse with other ASC administrators, nurse directors, and physicians. Industry consultants also regularly engage in the discussions. Sign up for this free, invaluable program at OOSS.org .
Members Survey
Your input shapes our priorities, initiatives, and how we allocate resources. Please share your feedback about your ASC’s current sustainability practices, barriers, concerns, and ideas to help us develop programs and tools to support your efforts. The survey can be accessed on the OOSS website homepage. ■
Scan here to view videos from OOSS’s Perspectives 2023 event.
