Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 2026, as Ambulatory Surgery Center Month in the State of New York

Senate Resolution No. 1929

BY: Senator RIVERA

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        August 2026, as Ambulatory Surgery Center  Month  in
        the State of New York

  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  advancements,  conditions, education, treatment, and
care; and

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this  Legislative  Body  to  memorialize
Governor  Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim August 2026, 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 safe,  high  quality,  cost-efficient  surgical  care  for
millions  of  Americans, including New York State, where 182 independent
single and/or multispecialty facilities are  in  operation  as  licensed
diagnostic and treatment centers, as of January 2026, and further growth
is expected; and

  WHEREAS,   ASCs   offer  same-day  non-emergent  surgical  care  for
thousands of  procedures  for  patients  overseen  by  a  physician  led
clinical  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 over
6,500 Medicare-certified Ambulatory Surgery  Center  facilities  in  the
United  States  and  211,175  healthcare professionals across the United
States, employed by ASCs, projecting to save $10  billion  in  2026-2027
and up to $12.2 billion in 2028; and

  WHEREAS, ASCs provide greater flexibility where routine non-emergent
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; 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 2026, 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.