Ambulatory Surgery Center Association

Advancing Ambulatory Surgery

The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) assists ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in delivering safe, high-quality, cost-effective patient care.

Learn More

Latest News

View All

ASCA officers speak at Unify 2026

October 1, 2026

Registration Now Open for ASC Management Virtual Course

October 1, 2026

Benchmarking Q3 Data Submission Now Open

October 1, 2026

Register Now to Save on ASCA 2027

September 17, 2026

Education, Programs & Services

March 31–April 3, 2027

ASCA 2027 Conference & Expo

Marriott World Center, Orlando, FL

Learn More

Webinar Series

Virtual Courses

Online Training Series

Older woman and younger woman looking at a computer.

ASC Administrator Development Program

Finger pointing at graph jumping up from a laptop.

Clinical & Operational Benchmarking

Q1 Reports Now Available

Subscribe Today

Salary & Benefits

2025 Reports Coming Soon

ASC Focus Magazine

A members-only print and digital magazine for the ASC community

Digital edition sponsored by

Read Now

Physician Brief

A quarterly one-pager that highlights issues relevant to physicians who own and/or work in ASCs

Read Now

One World Surgery Partnership

ASCA members interested in medical mission opportunities are invited to apply for the ASCA Foundation’s scholarship program.

Learn More

Enhancing the Patient Experience

ASCA members work at the forefront of the healthcare community to advance the safety, quality and cost-effectiveness of outpatient surgery.

We know our community is making a difference and that’s why we provide the resources, education and advocacy to support this mission.

No need to visit a hospital
Medicare-certified quality
Efficient procedure scheduling and performance
Drastically reduced patient copays

Learn More

Patients Pay Less in
Surgery Centers

ASCs see reimbursement rates per procedure that are roughly half that of hospital outpatient departments (HOPD). This lower cost is passed on to the patient in the form of lower coinsurance.

Carpal Tunnel Surgery

HOPD

$

ASC

$

Cataract Removal

HOPD

$

ASC

$

Rotator Cuff Repair

HOPD

$

ASC

$

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2024 Procedure Price Lookup Comparison File, Carpal Tunnel Surgery (CPT® 64721), Cataract Removal (CPT® 66984), Rotator Cuff Repair (CPT® 29827)

Surgery Centers
by the Numbers

Medicare-certified ASCs¹

Single-specialty¹

Multispecialty¹

+

Operating Rooms¹

$ billion/year

Medicare program and beneficiary savings²

million/year

Total procedures performed²

million/year

Medicare procedures performed²

%

Medicare cataract surgeries performed in ASCs²

%

Medicare colonoscopies performed in ASCs²

¹Source: | Data Analysis, 2/12/2026 Ambulatory Surgery Center Industry Q4 2025 Insights Report

²Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary (PSPS) data, 2019 to 2021

Christine Blackburn, BSN, RN, CNOR

Administrator

South Kansas City Surgicenter

“When I first became an ASC administrator, I quickly realized there was so much I did not know. A trusted colleague encouraged me to join ASC, and it proved to be one of them most valuable decisions of my career. ASCA provides access to exceptional resources, timely industry information, and a strong network of professionals who are always willing to share knowledge and support one another. Through ASCA membership, I have grown as a leader, become a more informed administrator, and developed a deeper understanding of the ambulatory surgery industry.”

ASCA Connect, a Community for Surgery Center Professionals

ASCA member conversations happening now

Policy on Residents

Does anyone have a policy on residents in their ASC that they would be willing to share? I have a couple of centers that are wanting to allow residents in their facilities (pain management, multi-specialty, uro-gyn). I just need some assistance with a ... Read more
Paper Charting

Good morning, I am looking to revamp our paper charting until we go to an EMR and am looking for templates for paper charting. Is anyone willing to share their packets? My email is ashley@waverlysurgerycenter.com. Thanks! ------------------------------ ... Read more
Dual Block Rooms

Good morning, I am researching standard practices concerning dual-room utilization for providers who alternate cases (bouncing) in two rooms. Could you please share if you are currently using a policy for this? Any insights or policies you could ... Read more
Differential Pay for RN's who can Scrub

Hello, I'm interested in how other ASCs recognize or compensate RNs who are cross-trained as Scrub Techs. We utilize several RNs to cover breaks, lunches, sick calls, and staffing gaps when a scrub tech isn't available. In addition, they often serve ... Read more