No Surprise Act (NSA) and its affect on Licensed Surgical Assistants
In the past, out-of-network assists have had a ‘feast or famine’ reimbursement stream that
resulted in non-payment for about half of the cases. This lack of payment was offset by the
occasional higher paying case, as the majority of reimbursements were very modest.
Starting Jan 1st 2022, most insured cases will pay the median in network rate, and the
occasional generous reimbursements that allowed assists to mitigate the numerous non-paying
cases will cease.
Benefits of Surgical Assists for Facilities:
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Improve overall surgical efficiency (less case delays that result in increased staffing
costs, surgical staff adequately prepared, increased efficiency of the surgeon, etc.)
Improved safety translates to reduction of risks that could have costly results (extra
team member for patient transfer, positioning; additional supervision of the sterile field,
etc.)
Improved outcomes increase patient and surgeon satisfaction rate with overall hospital
experience.
Incentive for new surgeons to bring their patients to MMH knowing they will have a
competent Surgical Assist available without the need to hire and train an employee.
Compete with the many other local facilities that already offer guaranteed surgical
assistant services regardless of payor status (Medical City Frisco/Plano/McKinney, THR,
etc.)
Benefits for Surgeons:
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Reduced time in the OR means increased efficiency (patient is ready for on-time start,
surgeon can leave during closing to attend to post-operative matters of dictation, family
updates, and begin preparing for the next case)
Improved communication within the OR team regarding patient care (surgical assist
works with staff team to ensure supplies and equipment are available and appropriate,
missing supplies can be obtained PRIOR to surgery start, etc.)
The benefit of having another pair of skilled hands during all cases, from smaller, routine
surgeries, to the most complex and specialized procedures.
Benefits for Patients:
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Minimized procedure time (less time under anesthesia reduces risk of complications)
Aesthetic wound closure.
Patients can rest assured knowing our surgical assist team is there to make their surgery
safer and to improve overall operating room efficiency, and thereby reducing their risks
for complications, all at no additional cost to them.
Rates are averaged based upon industry standard, case complexity, and average length of
procedures.
Facility will only be billed for non-billable cases/Medicare/Medicaid. Medicare replacements
plans will not be billed.
Flat fee of $400 per case.