Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1043345
17 TRANSACTIONS & JOINT VENTURES Cardiovascular surgery center opens in Kansas: 4 things to know By Laura Dyrda M anhattan (Kan.) Specialists Center, a cardiovascular surgery center, achieved accreditation in July and completed the first few days of procedures, according to Administrator Tiffany Zachary. Here are four things to know: 1. Manhattan Specialists Center is a physician-owned ASC with one operating room and three pre- and postoperative bays. Owner Priyantha Ranaweera, MD, is an interventional cardiologist and vas- cular physician who opened his indepen- dent practice in August 2012; in 2015 he opened an office-based cath lab to provide interventional services, and most recently opened the ASC. 2. Construction ended on the 3,800-square-foot ASC in August 2017, and there are current plans to add another operating room with a fixed cath lab. e extension is expected to be completed within the next three years. 3. Physicians at the facility offer most cardiac and vascular procedures, includ- ing stenting, pacemakers and venous abla- tions in non-high risk patients. Patients can also receive peripheral angiography and stenting, renal angiography and stenting, carotid angiography, inferior vena cava filter placement and removal, venography and stenting, intravascular ultrasound, atherectomy with laser or rotational device, pacemaker, cardiac defibrillator and cardiac catheterization and stenting. 4. Manhattan Specialists Center is the only surgical facility of its kind within a 100-mile radius to perform cardiac and vascular procedures outside of the hos- pital. "Cardiovascular ASCs are becom- ing the new entry to the traditional ASC model," Ms. Zachary said. n AHA to CMS: Keep physician-owned hospital ban in Stark Law By Laura Dyrda I n August, the HHS Of- fice of Inspector Gen- eral requested public input on regulatory provi- sions that are barriers of coordinated care, or value- based care, including the anti-kickback statute, which prohibits self-referral for federal healthcare businesses. The agency had already accepted comments and feedback on ways to im- prove Stark Law, which addresses self-referral by a physician to a healthcare facility where the physician has financial ownership. The American Hospital Association made its comments to CMS Administra- tor Seema Verma on Stark Law public on behalf of its nearly 5,000 members. While the organization supported modifications to Stark Law to promote col- laboration within value-based payment models, it urged CMS not to alter the ban on physician-owned hospitals. "We urge that compensation exceptions to the Stark Law be created or adapted to enable hospitals and physicians, working together, to coordinate care and improve patient outcomes. We urge that no changes be made to the regulations implementing the Stark Law's ownership ban. That ban is carefully developed policy that is working as Congress intended." The AHA did not address CMS quality rating of physician-owned hospitals. In August 2016, 31 percent of the agency's five-star hospitals were physician- owned, and in 2017, 38 physician-owned hospitals earned the highest possible rating for quality. Last year, Sen. James Lankford (R.-Okla.) intro- duced legislation to the Senate that would repeal the ACA's moratorium on physician-owned hospitals, citing data that shows they could save Medicare $3.2 billion over a 10-year period. A companion bill was also introduced in the House. n United Surgical Partners International, Integris seek to purchase 3 Community Hospital locations By Rachel Popa O klahoma City-based Integris is entering into a joint venture with Ad- dison, Texas-based United Surgical Partners International to purchase three Community Hospital locations in Oklahoma City, NewsOK re- ported. Here are the key details to know: 1. Integris is the parent company of two surgery centers in Oklahoma City. 2. USPI owns more than 200 surgery centers across the country. 3. The deal is expected to be finalized this fall or winter. 4. Community Hospital, Integris and USPI employ 1,300 physicians com- bined. n AHA urged CMS not to alter the ban on physician- owned hospitals.