‘Pro-ASC Governor’ Participates in Surgery Center Event

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‘Pro-ASC Governor’ Participates in Surgery Center Event

New York State Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers hosts discussion with New York Governor Kathy Hochul

Last week, the New York State Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (NYSAASC) hosted a meeting with New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D). During the event, NYSAASC and Governor Hochul discussed current healthcare challenges impacting the ASC community and the potential solutions that would ensure surgery centers can continue providing high-quality, lower-cost care to New Yorkers. Below is an excerpt from an interview with Jeffrey Flynn, president of NYSAASC and administrator and chief executive officer of Gramercy Surgery Center in New York, New York.

Q: Can you provide more information on the event with NYSAASC and Governor Kathy Hochul?

Jeffrey Flynn (JF): This is our fourth meeting with the governor in the past two and a half years. We brought together NYSAASC, cardiovascular doctors and the Medical Society of the State of New York. In the past, we have brought to her attention our issues and how we are a big part of the solution to patient access and alleviation to her Medicaid spend in the state.

Q: What were the topics you discussed during your meeting with the governor?

JF: Some of the topics we discussed were:

  1. Working through the New York State Department of Health and the governor’s office to allow ASCs in New York to perform cardiovascular procedures approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Currently, state regulation does not permit ASCs to do these procedures.
  2. The length in delay of being issued Medicaid Provider Numbers (MPN) for our facilities. The New York State Department of Health issues us our licenses to open but the same agency takes 18 months to two years to grant us an MPN. The bigger issue is that most Medicaid recipients are in managed Medicaid plans, and you cannot apply for these numbers until you have an MPN. Therefore, you are not able to treat Medicaid patients for almost three years. You first receive a five-year limited life license when your ASC opens and when you go back for your permanent license, New York State’s Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) pushes back by stating you have only done Medicaid cases for two years. The governor’s office was provided with detailed examples of this.
  3. NYSAASC lobbied for a freestanding ASC seat on the PHHPC, which passed both the New York State Assembly and Senate unanimously, and the governor signed it into law. NYSAASC has endorsed a nomination for this seat, and we have asked the governor to appoint the position.

Q: You have called Governor Hochul the “pro-ASC governor.” How did she earn that name?

JF: Governor Hochul was the first governor to tour an ASC. She understands we represent access of care, quality patient experiences and outcomes at the most cost-effective level, and she previously proclaimed August 2023 as Ambulatory Surgery Center Month in the state of New York. In her closing comments of our meeting, she stated that ASCs are very much part of her plan to deliver superior healthcare and access to all New Yorkers.

Q: To you, what is the importance of advocating for ASCs with your lawmakers?

JF: It is essential for lawmakers to be educated on who we are and what we represent in patient access, outcomes and cost savings. We can only do this by having legislators tour our centers to understand who we are. Most leave the tour amazed, and when they realize we serve Medicare and Medicaid populations as much as we do commercial insurance, they understand how we can be part of the solution to the unsustainable costs of healthcare.

Q: Do you have any takeaways from your meeting? If so, what are they?

JF: Governor Hochul really is a champion of ASCs, and more surgery centers are opening in the state under her administration. She already has had her team follow up with NYSAASC’s executive director, Lisa Alteri, for follow-up information two days after this meeting.

Hosting facility tours and meetings with your lawmakers, whether in person or virtual, provide opportunities to directly connect with and educate elected officials about ASCs and their impact on their respective communities. ASCA has developed its facility tour program to ensure that conducting a tour is an easy and intuitive process for its members. ASCA members interested in hosting a facility tour for their members of Congress can complete the Facility Tour Interest Form or visit ASCA’s facility tour webpage for more information.

Write Maia Kunkel, ASCA’s Government Affairs manager, at mkunkel@ascassociation.org with questions.