Episode 290 - Whistleblower Verdict, a $6B ASC Buying Spree, Nonprofit ASC Profitability, and an Interview with ASCA's Kara Newbury on the National Picture and 2027 Payment Rule - October 13, 2026

In this episode of the ASC Podcast with John Goehle, we cover a whistleblower verdict against an Optum-affiliated ASC, the $6 billion wave of ASC M&A activity, new scrutiny of nonprofit ASC profitability, the health systems racing into the ASC space, and what Joint Commission surveyors say ASCs should expect. Then John sits down with Kara Newbury, ASCA's Chief Advocacy Officer, recorded at the CASA Annual Conference in Monterey, California, for a conversation on where the ASC industry stands in Washington heading into 2027.

This episode is sponsored by Surgical Information Systems, RFX Solutions, Medserve and  Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies.

Notes and Resources from this Episode:

Anesthesiologist wins $1.6M whistleblower verdict against Optum-affiliated ASC — Becker's ASC (September 23, 2026): beckersasc.com

The $6B ASC buying spree — Becker's ASC (September 22, 2026): beckersasc.com

Ambulatory Surgery Centers Show ‘Remarkably High Profitability’ — Ambulatory Surgery Center News (September 28, 2026), citing Plummer, Doyle and Bai, JAMA Health Forum: ascnews.com

8 health systems edging ahead in the ASC race — Becker's ASC (August 25, 2026): beckersasc.com

Joint Commission Surveyors Offer ‘Sneak Peek’ of What ASCs Can Expect — Ambulatory Surgery Center News (October 8, 2026): ascnews.com

ANNOUNCEMENT — Live Conference Week recordings (Infection Control 101, QAPI, Article 28 Mastery) are now available for individual purchase; IC Coordinator 201 is coming shortly — Premium Access members get all four free: asc-central.com

2026 Multi-State Virtual ASC Conference — December 3–4, 2026, free to members of participating state associations: asc-central.com/2026-multi-state-conference

The Survey Guide — John Goehle's book on the CMS Conditions for Coverage & Interpretive Guidelines for ASCs: lulu.com

The new ASC Central website: asc-central.com