Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) Four State Comparison
Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) Cost Factors. Difference for same type of surgery = 300% between the states. Neighboring states – MD and VA or NY and CT have large differences in ASC charges.
Fee schedule states ASC’s usually charge less. Variability of ASC charges in the same state is greater in non-fee schedule states
Injured workers actually have the same experience whether they have surgery in hospital or ASC.
Four states were compared that had similar fee schedules. There was little variability in costs among the ASC’s in these four states. Could that have been due to the states being in the same region?
ASC differs cost factors differ greatly across states due to fee schedules. States with fees schedules had a greater level of predictable costs than states without fee schedules. In fact, most states with fee schedules allowed for a higher level of predictably of charges.
Network penetration rates are much lower for ASC’s even though the surgeon is actually in-network. This situation happens often in health insurance where the doctor is in-network but many of the associated physicians are not in-network with the insured bearing the brunt of the additional costs.
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