09/05/2025
CASA Conference 2025: Advocacy Front and Center
The CASA Conference in San Diego continued with a timely and insightful session on California and National Legislative and Regulatory Updates. The panel featured CASA lobbyists Ryan Pierini and Alison Ramey, alongside Kara Newbury, Chief Advocacy Officer at ASCA, and Bill Prentice, CEO of ASCA. Together, they shared perspectives on the shifting healthcare landscape and the critical role of ASCs in shaping policy.
At the federal level, panelists emphasized both opportunities and challenges. Kara Newbury reminded attendees that ASCs must “cut through the noise” in Washington, highlighting that surgery centers deliver significant cost savings to Medicare – a story that needs to be told again and again. She also noted the importance of the newly proposed CMS rule, which includes many additional procedure codes for ASCs and could generate meaningful case volume, provided reimbursement levels are set appropriately. In addition, reporting requirements are expected to drop outdated COVID-era measures.
In the California Legislature there are about 2,500–3,000 bills introduced each year, many related to healthcare, and CASA is still actively monitoring a variety of legislative proposals that could impact ASCs as the session heads toward adjournment on September 12. Issues on the radar include prior authorization timelines, clarification on delivery of anesthesia services, private equity investment in healthcare, allocation of MCO tax dollars, and expanding the ability of California ASCs to perform CMS-approved cardiology procedures.
Across the board, the message was clear: advocacy matters. Panelists encouraged CASA members to participate in CASA’s Sacramento lobby days, ASCA’s DC fly-in, and to support the CASA PAC to ensure the voice of ASCs is heard.
Attendees echoed that call to action:
- Carrie Milsap said: “Advocacy ensures that decisionmakers understand our role in lowering healthcare costs by providing care in the most appropriate setting. It’s about access to care – and we need to take the time to educate policymakers so our communities can continue to benefit from the care ASCs provide.”
- Dr. Michael Stuntz stated: “As physicians, it’s critical we engage with our representatives at both the state and federal level. If you’re not at the table, your interests aren’t being heard. Our knowledge can truly shape policy, and I’ve seen firsthand that these conversations make a difference.”
- Benita Tapia said: “We need to stay engaged because the future of our industry depends on it – whether it’s patient co-pays, procedure lists, or larger regulatory issues. Policymakers won’t know unless we tell them. If we’re silent, we risk being misunderstood – or even confused with an ambulance rather than a surgery center.”
This session underscored what makes CASA and ASCA so valuable: keeping members informed, engaged, and ready to lead in advocacy. By working together, ASCs can continue to shape a policy environment that supports patient access, affordability, and high-quality care.