OFFICE-BASED SURGERY CENTERS, UNLIKE HOSPITALS AND AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERS, ARE NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR FACILITY FEES UNDER THE NO-FAULT LAW.
The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Rivera, determined an office-based surgery (OBS) center, unlike hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASC), are not entitled to reimbursement for “facility fees” under the no-fault insurance law and the related regulations. The fees at issue in this case amounted to $1.3 million:
As the statutory language illustrates, the legislature capped total payments for basic economic loss, and delegated the determination of fee rates to the Chair and the Superintendent. Neither administrator has chosen to include OBS facility fees in the regulatory schedules. It is not for this Court to decide, contrary to [the OBS's] contention, whether this is a “good idea” or if it would be better for patients covered by no-fault insurance, and for the efficient management of our health care system, to require reimbursement of OBS facility fees as a means to ensure that OBS facilities continue to be viable options for patients. “These policy determinations are beyond our authority and instead best left for the legislature” … . Government Empls. Ins. Co. v Avanguard Med. Group, PLLC, 2016 NY Slip Op 02473, CtApp 3-31-16
INSURANCE LAW (OFFICE-BASED SURGERY CENTERS, UNLIKE HOSPITALS AND AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERS, ARE NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR FACILITY FEES UNDER THE NO-FAULT LAW)/NO-FAULT INSURANCE (OFFICE-BASED SURGERY CENTERS, UNLIKE HOSPITALS AND AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERS, ARE NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR FACILITY FEES UNDER THE NO-FAULT LAW)/OFFICE-BASED SURGERY CENTERS (NO-FAULT INSURANCE, OFFICE-BASED SURGERY CENTERS, UNLIKE HOSPITALS AND AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERS, ARE NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR FACILITY FEES UNDER THE NO-FAULT LAW)