J 1155: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 2025 as Ambulatory Surgery Center Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Ambulatory Surgery Center Month

 Senate Resolution No. 1155 BY: Senator RIVERA MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 2025, as Ambulatory Surgery Center Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Ambulatory Surgery Center Month WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in recognizing certain months of the year in the hopes of increasing awareness of important medical conditions, education, treatment, and care; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 2025 as Ambulatory Surgery Center Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Ambulatory Surgery Center Month; and WHEREAS, For more than 50 years, Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) have provided high quality, cost-efficient surgical care for millions of Americans, including New York State, where 179 independent single and/or multispecialty facilities are in operation as licensed diagnostic and treatment centers, as of January 2025, and further growth is expected; and WHEREAS, ASCs offer same-day surgical care for thousands of procedures for patients overseen by a multidisciplinary team to assure quality care and post-procedure follow-up which were previously performed exclusively in hospitals; and WHEREAS, First established in Phoenix, Arizona, today there are 6,300 Medicare-certified Ambulatory Surgery Center facilities in the United States and 197,507 healthcare professionals across the United States, employed by ASCs, projecting to save $8.2 billion in 2025 and up to $12.2 billion in 2028; and WHEREAS, ASCs provide greater flexibility where routine surgical care can be obtained, often reducing the amount of time and delay encountered by patients; and WHEREAS, ASC facilities are fully licensed and accredited, adhering to strict regulation and oversight by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Health; and WHEREAS, A specialization of specific surgical procedures at ASC facilities ensure the quality of care and excellent outcome; more than 69% are small businesses employing 20 or fewer employees, and a growing number are women- and minority-owned; and WHEREAS, ASCs deserve our collective acknowledgment, recognition, and gratitude for providing safe and efficient surgical treatment to New Yorkers, striving to increase access to surgical care, and reducing healthcare disparities; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 2025 as Ambulatory Surgery Center Month in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York, and the New York State Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers.