Becker's ASC Review

34 GASTROENTEROLOGY The rise of Gastro Health — A timeline By Eric Oliver M iami-based Gastro Health was the first gastroenterology practice to take on a private equity partner when it struck a deal with Audax Private Eq- uity in 2016, and as the fourth year of their affiliation approaches, Becker's ASC Review reflects on their transaction activity to date: March 2016: Audax Private Equity enters into a deal with Gastro Health. January 2017: Gastro Health acquires pri- vate practice of Douglas M. Weissman, MD, in Coral Springs, Fla. March 2017: Gastro Health acquires Delray Beach, Fla.-based South Palm GI. April 2017: Gastro Health acquires Holly- wood, Fla.-based Gastroenterology Consul- tants, its 25th South Florida location. June 2017: Gastro Health acquires Miami- based Pediatric Gastroenterology Associates, becoming South Florida's largest pediatric gastroenterology provider. July 2017: Gastro Health acquired Fort My- ers, Fla.-based Digestive Health Physicians and Outpatient Anesthesia Specialists, its first acquisition outside of South Florida. August 2017: Gastro Health acquires Gas- trointestinal Center of Hialeah (Fla.). October 2017: Gastro Health acquires West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Digestive Center of the Palm Beaches. February 2018: Longtime Gastro Health CEO Alexander Fernandez departed the company suddenly. Mr. Fernandez had served as Gastro Health's CEO since April 2009. March 2018: Gastro Health names replace- ment CEO in Joseph Garcia. April 2018: Gastro Health agrees to acquire Boynton Beach-based South Florida Gastro- enterology Associates. Gastro Health com- pletes the acquisition in September 2018. August 2018: Gastro Health enters central Florida, acquiring Orlando's largest private practice gastroenterology group, Central Florida Gastroenterology. Gastro Health makes a series of leadership appointments, naming Simon Frisch senior vice president of strategic operations and adding Chris Weinstein to the staff. Ms. Weinstein was tasked with helping the group prepare to branch out into other states, the first time out-of-state expansion was mentioned. February 2019: Gastro Health enters into an agreement to acquire Longwood, Fla.-based Giles Gastroenterology Center, its second practice in the central Florida market. April 2019: Gastro Health acquires Birming- ham, Ala.-based Southeast Gastro, its first out-of-state acquisition. September 2019: Gastro Health acquires Seattle-based Puget Sound Gastroenterol- ogy, its first acquisition away from its Florida base. November 2019: Gastro Health acquired Fairfax-based Gastroenterology Associates of Northern Virginia. n 3 changes in Medicare's 2020 final rule affecting GI practices By Rachel Popa T he American Society for Gastrointestinal Endos- copy outlined how the CMS final rule for 2020 will affect gastroenterologists. Three details: 1. Colorectal cancer surprise billing. CMS dropped its proposal requiring GI practices to alert patients of the possibility they may be billed if their screening colonos- copy becomes therapeutic if a polyp is removed. 2. Removal of screening colonoscopy adenoma detec- tion rate from payment system. CMS finalized its rule to drop adenoma detection rate from its merit-based pay- ment system. GI societies expressed disappointment in the decision, saying that encouraging GIs to improve their adenoma detection rate could reduce colorectal cancer incidence and deaths. 3. Collapsing payments for office and outpatient visits. CMS will reverse its rule to collapse evaluation and management levels two through four for established and new patients to outpatient centers and offices in 2021. GI societies and the American Medical Association worked together on a new CMS plan which retains five levels of coding for established patients and sets four levels of coding for new patients. n

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