Becker's Spine Review

29 ASC ASC chains to know going into 2023 By Patsy Newitt Here are eight ASC chains to know going into 2023: 1. Dallas-based United Surgical Partners International, part of Tenet Healthcare, is the largest ASC chain in the country by both market share and number of physicians. USPI has 475 ASCs and surgical hospitals nationwide and more than 11,000 physicians. 2. Deerfield, Ill.-based SCA Health, part of Optum, has a portfolio of more than 9,200 physicians and more than 320 surgical facilities. In May, Surgical Care Affiliates rebranded to SCA Health, with intentions to expand beyond ASC management into specialty care. 3. Brentwood, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners has 4,600 physicians and more than 180 locations in its portfolio. Surgery Partners added more than 155 new physicians to its facilities in the third quarter, bringing 2022's total to more than 430 physician additions so far. 4. Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare has 3,200 physicians and 153 ASCs. Overall, the company comprises 182 hospitals and about 2,300 ambulatory care facilities, including ASCs, freestanding emergency rooms, urgent care centers and physician clinics in 20 states and across the United Kingdom. 5. Nashville-based AmSurg, part of Envision Healthcare, makes up 4.2 percent of the ASC market share, with at least 250 ASCs in their network. While AmSurg saw $55 million in second quarter gains, Envision reported a loss of $26 million for the quarter, down from a $221 million gain in the second quarter of 2021, sources told Bloomberg. 6. Leawood, Kan.-based ValueHealth has more than 3,000 physicians, more than 50 ASCs and more than 30 health system partners. In 2022, Surgery Partners affiliated with ValueHealth to build ASCs and deploy ValueHealth's value-based surgical programs across its surgery centers. 7. Towson, Md.-based SurgCenter Development has 2,500 physicians in its portfolio. On average, the company develops 12 ASCs per year and has developed more than 230 ASCs since its inception. 8. Jamison, Pa.-based PE GI Solutions has more than 60 ASCs in its portfolio. Focused on gastroenterology ASCs, the company also boasts more than 600 affiliated physicians. n Surgical Care Coalition on proposed pay cut: 'A disregard for vulnerable seniors' By Paige Haeffele T he Surgical Care Coalition issued a statement advocating for the nation's older adults in response to Congress' proposed $1.7 trillion year-end spending bill, saying the legislation will adversely affect that population. e coalition is a national organization representing more than 180,000 surgeons and anesthesiologists of all specialties that aims to improve patient care in the U.S., according to a Dec. 20 news release from the organization. e 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill narrows the planned nearly 4.5 percent cut to the Medicare physician fee schedule that was set to take effect in 2023 to a cut of 2 percentage points in the year ahead, with a scheduled cut of 3.25 percentage points in 2024. "Despite overwhelming bipartisan, bicameral support to stop the full Medicare physician payment cut, Congress failed once again to end the cycle of harmful Medicare cuts, showing a disregard for vulnerable seniors," the organization said in the release. "To make matters worse, Congress is also affirming substantial payment cuts in 2024. e dra omnibus legislation demonstrates a lack of commitment to our nation's seniors and continues to put off a long-term solution." e group urged Congress to fully stop the cuts to protect patient care. n Florida physician pleads guilty to receiving kickbacks in $2.7M fraud scheme By Patsy Newitt T ampa, Fla.-based physician Sean Patrick O'Rourke, MD, has pleaded guilty to soliciting and receiving kickbacks and bribes, the U.S. Justice Department said Nov. 18. According to court documents, in 2018, Dr. O'Rourke entered an illegal agreement with a company where the company completed physicians' orders for Medicare via an internet-based platform. Dr. O'Rourke would then access the platform and sign the orders in exchange for a payment of $25 per patient without ever interacting with the patients. In May 2019, for example, Dr. O'Rourke received $5,500 for electronically signing and ordering cancer genomic tests and durable medical equipment. The Medicare program paid approximately $2,702,150 to Medicare providers for the tests and equipment ordered by Dr. O'Rourke. n

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