BILL
SUBJECT
DATE
The Business Council opposes S.4007 / A.3007, Part L.
This Executive Budget proposal creates a process for site of service utilization review determinations for services performed at a hospital-based outpatient clinic rather than a free-standing ambulatory surgical center.
Ambulatory surgical centers offer effective alternatives for performing certain routine procedures and screenings, and generally offer more flexibility and convenience for patients. These centers are generally less expensive than hospital-based centers.
However, this Executive Budget proposal would drive patients away from these ambulatory surgical centers and into hospital-based settings which tend to be more costly to the patient, even if conducting the procedure is more cost efficient to the patient in an ambulatory surgical center.
The Business Council always supports patients receiving the safest, highest-quality care, wherever that may be, at an affordable rate. We are concerned that this proposal will lead to increased costs to patients and inadvertently raise premiums.
Because of this, we oppose Part L of S.4007/A.3007 and recommend against its inclusion in the final state budget.