Becker's ASC Review

22 ASC MANAGEMENT COVID-19 will shift procedures to ophthalmic ASCs — 3 insights By Eric Oliver O phthalmology procedures are likely to shift from hospitals to ASCs because of the COVID-19 pan- demic, the Ophthalmology Times reports. What you should know: 1. Because ASCs were largely isolated from COVID-19 responses, procedures could shift to ASCs to be per- formed during the surgical ramp-up period. 2. ASCs are equipped to handle high volumes of cata- ract procedures that may arise as elective procedure bans are lifted. 3. Baltimore-based Wilmer Eye Institute Director Peter McDonnell, MD, said COVID-19 may be what acceler- ates the shift to ASCs. "I do think the pandemic will accelerate the trend for ophthalmologists to move their cases to ASCs whenever possible, and put pressure on payers to increase the number of procedures for which they will reimburse when performed in ASCs," he said. n When will private equity return? 5 quarterly insights By Eric Oliver C OVID-19 has devastated the mergers and acquisi- tions market, according to Brentwood Capital Advi- sors' first-quarter 2020 market report. Here are five things to know: 1. Private equity firms have indefinitely delayed most deals that were in the process of closing, and the few deals that did close had to be drastically restructured. 2. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused several companies to withdraw their full-year forecasts, which makes it "nearly impossible to value the company and to attract the requi- site debt and equity financing." 3. Lenders are holding on to their funds, which has low- ered valuations and decreased the chances for deals to close. Where deals used to close at 5- to 6-times cash flow, lenders are rarely approving more than 2-times cash flow. 4. The full effect of COVID-19 will likely be felt through the second quarter of 2020, with firms transitioning from exploring new opportunities to assisting their current holdings. 5. Brentwood expects M&A activity will remain low throughout the rest of 2020. n 5 things to know about surprise billing during the COVID-19 pandemic By Eric Oliver T he days of surprise medical billing may be numbered due to emerging legislation around the COVID-19 pandemic. A collection of information on surprise medical billing. 1. Hospitals taking federal funds to treat COVID-19 patients could be banned from balance billing patients, according to HHS stipulations. HHS worded the ban to prevent health sys- tems from sending balance bills to COV- ID-19 patients, but in the finer details of the bill, HHS wrote that it "broadly views every patient as a possible case of COVID-19." If hospitals sign the contract, they could be agreeing to halt all surprise medical bills for every patient during the pandemic, NPR reports. HHS made a statement to Kaiser Health News, saying, "e intent of the terms and conditions was to bar balance billing for actual or presumptive COVID-19. We are clarifying this in the terms and conditions." 2. NPR explored the issue, finding the fine print could put an end, at least temporarily, to balance billing. While the practice is banned in several states, the federal government has never taken action against it. Some lobbyists argued HHS overstepped its power by including the provision. 3. Individual states have also taken action to ensure health systems and patients are pro- tected from surprise medical bills during the pandemic. Connecticut adopted a policy to ensure patients are protected from incurring surprise medical bills for treatments provided during the pandemic. Patients who would be out-of-network must be treated as in-network for emergency care provided during the pandemic. 4. e American voting public views surprise medical bills as one of its top healthcare issues. Fiy-six percent of Americans said legislators should address surprise medi- cal bills, according to a 2019 Kaiser Family Foundation Tracking Poll. 5. Economic packages around COVID-19 could also spell the end of surprise medi- cal bills on a permanent basis. According to Politico, leaders of two congressional health committees are attempting to include legislation that would end the practice in stimulus bills. n

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