Digital Debut
From left: John Miles, MD; Brian Kleiber, MD; Samuel Thompson, MD; Josh Hamann, MD; Representative Bob Onder, MD (R-MO); Andrew Lovewell, chief executive officer; Lisa Leathers, administrator; Brad Noble, DO; and Jason Koreckij, MD, during the October tour of The Surgical Center at COG.
Missouri ASC Hosts Facility Tour for Physician Lawmaker
The Surgical Center at COG hosts Congressman Bob Onder, MD (R-MO)
INTERVIEWED BY MAIA KUNKEL | DECEMBER 17, 2025
The Surgical Center at Columbia Orthopaedic Group in Columbia, Missouri, hosted Representative Bob Onder, MD (R-MO), for a facility tour recently. A first-term lawmaker in Congress, Representative Onder previously had a private practice specializing in allergies, asthma and clinical immunology for more than 30 years. During the tour, facility staff discussed the current challenges of providing care to the community. The congressman also learned about the Medicare Beneficiary Co-Pay Fairness Act (H.R. 3006/S. 1776) and how the legislation would help reduce Medicare costs and provide greater access to care. Below is an interview with Lisa Leathers, administrator at The Surgical Center at COG.
Q: What did you discuss during your facility tour?
Lisa Leathers (LL): We covered a wide range of topics during the tour. Congressman Onder shared insights on the latest major issues being discussed in Washington, DC, which was fascinating to hear. We also worked to frame the scope, size and impact of ASCs both in our district and nationally. Many people are surprised to learn just how significant ASCs are within the broader healthcare landscape, particularly given the magnitude of the site-of-service shift.
We discussed the copay cap bill [the Medicare Beneficiary Co-Pay Fairness Act] as well as other issues that directly or indirectly affect our facilities, including prior authorization challenges, anesthesia shortages and reductions in surgeon reimbursement. Many of these issues are not unique to ASCs, and we hope to strengthen collaboration across the healthcare sector to recognize and address these shared challenges.
Q: Why is it important to advocate for ASCs with lawmakers?
LL: Advocacy is critical—especially for ASCs. Our business model is closely aligned with policymakers’ goals of providing high-quality, cost-effective healthcare, yet many remain unaware of the depth, breadth and value of our services. Additionally, many lawmakers are unfamiliar with current CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] policies that restrict our ability to compete with higher-cost sites of service. Helping them understand these barriers is essential for driving meaningful policy change.
Q: What are your takeaways from the facility tour?
LL: One key takeaway is that our legislators are people just like us, and they are genuinely interested in the challenges we face as partners in delivering the ideal healthcare model. Even if you are not fully versed in every issue, ASCA provides strong support—talking points, infographics and other resources—to help you host a meaningful and effective facility tour. We do outstanding work in our centers, and it is incredibly rewarding to showcase that value to policymakers who can help expand access to our high-quality care model.
Q: Would you recommend that other ASCs participate in ASCA’s facility tour program?
LL: Absolutely. Given our lean business model, we will always face challenges competing with the larger lobbying budgets of other healthcare sectors in Washington, DC. What we might lack in financial resources, we can make up for by building strong personal relationships with our legislators. Inviting them into our facilities allows them to truly understand the value we deliver to their constituency and the broader healthcare landscape.
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.