ASC Daily Roundup — May 4, 2026

12 unique stories across 17 sources today. Top themes: CMS policy, prior auth, staffing.

TL;DR

1. CMS finalizes site-neutral payment expansion — 17 new ASC procedures effective July 2026 (CMS press release)
2. UnitedHealth prior-auth volume up 22% YoY — orthopedic ASC cases hit hardest (Becker's)
3. Tenet announces USPI ASC spinoff — separate public listing targeted Q4 2026 (Modern Healthcare)

Policy & reimbursement

CMS released the final rule for the 2026 ASC payment system update. The list expands the Ambulatory Surgical Center Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL) by 17 codes, including several total-shoulder and partial-knee arthroplasty procedures previously restricted to HOPDs. The rule is effective July 1, 2026.

Industry analysts expect this to accelerate inpatient-to-outpatient migration in orthopedics and cardiology, with downstream pressure on hospital outpatient departments competing on the same procedures at lower site-of-service rates.

Prior authorization

UnitedHealthcare's quarterly transparency report shows prior-auth request volume up 22% YoY, with the steepest jumps in orthopedic surgery (+31%) and pain management (+28%). ASC operators report median turnaround climbing from 3.1 to 4.7 business days.

M&A & ownership

Tenet Healthcare disclosed plans to spin off its USPI ambulatory subsidiary as a separately listed public company by Q4 2026. USPI operates 480+ ASCs across 35 states and contributed roughly 60% of Tenet's adjusted EBITDA in 2025.

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