WISCA works closely with our national association partner – the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) – on advocacy and other issues important to our members. In fact, the WISCA Government Affairs Team joins a national ASCA state chapter call twice a month for a federal regulatory and legislative briefing and closely follows their published Government Affairs Updates. Here is the latest government affairs news from ASCA:

• Public Health Emergency update:
• • On January 30, the Biden-Harris administration announced its intent to end the national emergency and public health emergency (PHE) declarations related to the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, 2023. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has resources available to help you prepare for the end of the PHE, including provider-specific fact sheets for information about COVID-19 PHE waivers and flexibilities. One such waiver is the Hospitals Without Walls initiative that allowed ASCs to temporarily enroll as hospitals, which is set to expire along with the PHE declaration. “Under the Hospitals Without Walls initiative: CMS permitted ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) to temporarily reenroll as hospitals and to provide hospital services to help address the urgent need to increase hospital capacity to take care of patients. . . . When the PHE ends, ASCs must decide either to meet the certification standards for hospitals at 42 CFR Part 482, or return to ASC status. If they choose to return to ASC status, they can only be paid under the ASC payment system for services on the ASC Covered Procedures List.” Updates will continue to be provided as the end of the PHE approaches, so please visit the CMS Current emergencies page for the most up-to-date information.

• ASC Quality Reporting program:
• • ASCA recently updated its Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program resources, including the main Quality Reporting webpage. To ensure you are ready for compliance in 2023, the “How to Meet Medicare’s 2023 ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program Requirements” resource takes you through the measures that remain in the program for 2023 and what you need to do to avoid penalties in 2024. Other resources available include the following:
  • • December Digital Debut article that includes a 2023 ASCQR Program Overview
    • January Digital Debut article on data collection resuming for ASC-1 through ASC-4
    • FAQ webpage that answers commonly asked questions regarding the OAS CAHPS Survey, which becomes mandatory in 2025
  • The deadline for submitting other web-based measures is May 15. For more information, please consult our Government Affairs update.

• CMS payment policy meeting:
• • ASCA met with CMS payment policy staff on Wednesday, February 22. Thanks to those who completed the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL) survey. We used the information collected to advocate for expansion of the ASC-CPL.

• Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act
• • The Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act, endorsed by Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, has been reintroduced in both chambers of Congress. U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and U.S. Representatives Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M. (R-OH), and John B. Larson (D-CT) reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral legislation seeks to increase Medicare patients’ access to ambulatory surgery centers, ensure adequate reimbursement, and provide better quality metrics across sites of care.