HCFA announces ASC rate updates

In a September program memorandum to intermediaries and carriers, the Health Care Financing Administration announced the following ambulatory surgery center (ASC) payment rates for facility services furnished on or after Oct. 1, 1999:

• Group 1 - $317;

• Group 2 - $425;

• Group 3 - $486;

• Group 4 - $600;

• Group 5 - $683;

• Group 6 - $794 [$644 + $150 for intraocular lenses (IOLs)]

• Group 7 - $949;

• Group 8 - $934 ($784 + $150 for IOLs).

The carriers and intermediaries will use fiscal year 2000 wage index values when calculating individual ASC payment amounts for services furnished on or after Oct. 1, 1999. These wage index values were published July 30, 1999, in the Federal Register (62 FR 45,965) as part of the fiscal year 2000 update of the hospital inpatient prospective payment system.