If you have a choice between a hospital outpatient department and an ambulatory surgical center, consider these questions.
| Ask your doctor or health care provider: | Notes |
|---|---|
| Is this procedure covered by Medicare? | |
| Which hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers do you work with when you perform this type of procedure? | |
| Which facility is the best place for me given my health status and medical history? | |
| Does the facility you recommend participate in Medicare? | |
| What if I have a medical emergency during a procedure at an ambulatory surgical center? | |
| How well do these facilities check their quality of care? Do they have enough staffing, coordinate care, promote medication safety, and take steps to prevent infection? |
| Check your insurance coverage: | Notes |
|---|---|
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Will my costs be different at a hospital outpatient department than an ambulatory surgical center? Visit Medicare.gov/procedure-price-lookup to learn more. |
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If you have a supplement ( Medigap ) policy or a Medicare Advantage plan, ask:
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Hospital outpatient departments are a part of a hospital where you get outpatient services or procedures done, like a surgery center or pain clinic.
Ambulatory surgical centers are non-hospital facilities where certain surgeries and procedures may be performed for patients who aren’t expected to need more than 24 hours of care, and provide a convenient alternative to hospitals with the same quality care – usually at a lower cost to you.