Nearly one-third of ASCs offer financial assistance in their contracts with anesthesia providers or groups, according to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s third-quarter 2026 60-Second Survey, published Oct. 16.
Here are five things to know:
1. Of the 307 respondents, 31% reported offering financial incentives, consistent with 30% in 2024.
2. Large ASCs were the most likely to offer assistance, at 43%.
3. Incentives were less common at facilities owned only by physicians (23%) and at those staffed only by anesthesiologists (17%).
4. Stipend contracts remain the most common form of assistance, cited by 51% of respondents, followed by collections guarantees at 29%. Both figures are in line with 2024.
5. Use of flat subsidies keeps falling. It dropped to 15% in 2026 from 21% in 2024 and 27% in 2023.