When Medicare pays independent surgery centers significantly less than hospital clinics for the exact same procedure, it can lead to those independent centers closing or refusing to see Medicare patients. This forces patients to go to hospitals, which are often more expensive for the taxpayer and less convenient for the patient. By making the payment updates equal, the bill aims to keep these local options available.

If this becomes law, it could reduce the 'site-of-service' payment gap that currently exists. Without it, independent centers may continue to struggle with inflation because their yearly pay increases are often tied to a lower index than the one used for hospitals.