Earlier this year, many ASCs around the United States saw their financial picture begin to look bleak. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, voluntary (non-emergency) outpatient surgeries were halted in order to stop the spread of the virus. Although the pandemic is still ongoing, many of these surgical centers have resumed operation, and some are even planning an expansion, showing that parts of the U.S. health care system are still in good financial shape, despite the many ups and downs of 2020.
New Surgical Center in New Orleans
According to a source, “University Medical Center New Orleans is opening a $14 million outpatient surgery center. The outpatient surgery center opening is scheduled for Aug. 11, according to communications specialist Alisha Bell. University Medical Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new facility Aug. 6. The event was ‘socially distanced,’ Ms. Bell said. University Medical Center New Orleans is part of New Orleans-based LCMC Health.”
VA To Open a New Location in Nebraska
According to Beckers, “An $86 million outpatient facility for veterans is on track to open this month in Omaha, Neb., according to REBusiness Online. What you should know: The Omaha VA Ambulatory Care Center includes seven primary care units, an outpatient surgery suite, a specialty medicine unit and a women’s health clinic. The 157,000-square-foot facility is connected to the existing 12-story VA Medical Campus. McCarthy Building Cos. completed construction four months ahead of schedule. The project was partially funded through a public-private partnership between the VA and Veterans Ambulatory Center Development Corp., a nonprofit group.”
A New Specialty Center in North Carolina
In another location, “Wilmington (N.C.) Eye broke ground on the region’s first ophthalmology-focused ASC Aug. 7. What you should know: The group expects to open the eye center in November 2021. The group is promoting the surgery center as a way to provide healthcare to the community at a drastically decreased cost. The group expects patients will see their healthcare-related fees drop by up to 40 percent. The surgery center will also create 26 new jobs.”
Expansion in Minnesota
“A Minnesota hospital is embarking on a $2 million surgery center expansion and warehouse addition, according to DL-Online. Four details: Essentia Health St. Mary’s-Detroit Lakes plans to replace warehouse space that was repurposed for its surgery center, which will be expanded. The surgery center expansion will alleviate space constraints resulting from an increase in staff and the addition of an operating room. The surgery center will gain more equipment storage, as well as staff and provider locker rooms, dedicated dictation spaces for surgeons, a break room and a nurse’s station. The warehouse addition is slated for completion in September, with the rest done by spring 2021.”
How Are All of These Expansions Possible?
Having the funds to expand is usually made possible by good fiscal management and optimizing every possible source of revenue. One example of this involves following up on aged claims. Rather than allow them to sit in a debt bucket on the wrong side of your surgical center’s balance sheet, you instead should follow up on them. Contacting a company that specializes in filing Federal ERISA appeals on those commercial health insurance claims is one example. According to ERISA, those aged claims – the ones that have gone through the three state-level appeals and remain unpaid or underpaid – must be paid. Contact us to learn more.
