ASCs will see a 1.4% increase in their Medicare reimbursements next year and hospital outpatient departments will get a 2.2% raise, according to the federal insurer's final rule on payments for calendar year 2015.

The rates are slightly higher than the 1.2% and 2.1% proposed in July for ASCs and hospital outpatient departments respectively. While Medicare's hospital rates are based on the Hospital Market Basket index rate, ASC rates are based on the Consumer Price Index - Urban. Both are subject to a "productivity adjustment" mandated by the Affordable Care Act.

The proposed rule has also made an ASC cataract quality reporting measure announced last year and postponed in April a voluntary, not mandatory, effort until an appropriate measure is developed.

David Bernard