Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) are freestanding community-based facilities where surgeons and their skilled care teams provide outpatient surgeries and procedures. ASCs perform the same types of procedures that are provided in hospital outpatient departments (HOPD) including orthopedic and spine, ophthalmology (eye), ear nose and throat (ENT), urology, gynecologic, pain treatment, general and plastic surgery, endoscopies and colonoscopies.

ASCs are subject to similar federal and state regulations as hospitals and are evaluated by independent parties for state licensure, Medicare certification, and accreditation. These community-based surgical centers are also responsible for employing approximately 2,000 Connecticut residents.

In 2013 alone, ASCs across Connecticut performed more than 210,000 surgical procedures using state-of-the-art technologies and infrastructure. Many patients prefer ASCs because they are generally more convenient and provide more affordable services with same or better outcomes than hospitals.

On average, Medicare and other health plans reimburse ASCs at a rate that is nearly half (55%) of the amount paid to hospital outpatient departments. Thus, ASCs provide patients with community-based care at lower cost, saving money for patients, health insurers, employers, and taxpayers alike. Between 2008-2011, ASCs generated $7.5 billion in federal Medicare savings, translating into lower costs for patients and their families and savings to taxpayers.

Simply put, ASCs are committed to providing patients with convenient access to high quality, cost-effective surgical care across Connecticut.