The world of healthcare is constantly evolving, and Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) continue to play an increasingly important role in delivering convenient, cost-effective, and high-quality surgical care.
Over the past several years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has implemented significant Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) payment rule changes that are reshaping how hospitals and health systems plan and operate their cardiovascular (CV) service lines. A growing number of cardiac catheterization, coronary intervention, and electrophysiology-related procedures have been added to the Medicare ASC Covered Procedures List (CPL), fundamentally expanding the scope of cardiovascular care that can be safely and profitably delivered in the ASC setting.
For ASCs, these changes create an opportunity to move quickly — without waiting years for construction or large capital investments.
What Changed Effective January 1, 2026
Effective January 1, 2026, CMS expanded reimbursement for cardiovascular services performed in ASCs, including the addition of cardiac ablation procedures to the ASC Covered Procedures List. This update removes one of the most significant historical barriers to ASC-based electrophysiology (EP) services and allows ASCs to launch or expand advanced CV programs more easily than ever before.
With these changes:
- Diagnostic cardiac catheterization procedures are already well established in ASCs and office-based labs (OBLs)
- Interventional cardiology and EP procedures are now increasingly reimbursable in ASCs
- Commercial payers continue to follow CMS policy, with many already covering interventional CV procedures in the ASC setting
Together, these reimbursement updates accelerate the shift of cardiovascular care toward lower-cost, outpatient environments — and allow ASCs to respond quickly with flexible capacity solutions.
The ASC Growth Trend in Cardiology
Recent industry data and regulatory developments underscore the growing role of ambulatory surgery centers in cardiovascular care. The American College of Cardiology has launched a first-of-its-kind registry to track cardiac procedures in ASCs as volumes climb, and Becker’s ASC Review reported that at least 26 cardiology-focused ASCs opened or were announced in 2024.
Market analysis estimates that nearly a third of cardiac procedures could occur in ASCs by 2025 — a trend reinforced by CMS adding cardiac catheter ablation to the ASC-covered procedures list in the 2026 payment rule.
With CMS’s 2026 policy changes now in effect, that growth curve is expected to accelerate even further — particularly for ASCs evaluating electrophysiology and interventional cardiology service lines and looking for fast, low-risk ways to add capacity.
Using Mobile Cath Labs to Launch or Expand CV Services
If you’re planning to convert an Office-Based Lab (OBL) to an ASC — or add cardiovascular services to an existing ASC — a temporary mobile cath lab offers one of the fastest and simplest paths to market.
Rather than waiting months for permanent construction, approvals, or capital funding, mobile cath labs allow ASCs to bring fully functional cath lab capacity online quickly, with minimal disruption to existing operations.
In this article, we explore how mobile cath labs can be a game-changer for ASCs responding to the new reimbursement environment.
Mobile Cath Labs: A Brief Overview
Modular Devices specializes in providing mobile cath labs that are fully equipped, self-contained medical imaging suites housed in transportable medical trailers. Once delivered to your ASC site, these labs can be installed and operational in a very short timeframe — often in just days, not months.
Each mobile cath lab is designed as a turnkey solution, minimizing complexity for ASC teams.
Every mobile cath unit in our fleet includes:
- Digital flat-panel detector imaging systems from major OEMs
- Configurations engineered for cardiac and vascular diagnostic and interventional procedures
- Power, HVAC, shielding, and workflow layouts designed to meet cath lab guidelines
Mobile cath labs are available through flexible rental agreements — whether you need capacity for one few months, one year, or longer — with the ability to scale up, extend, or remove the unit as your needs evolve.
The Advantages of Using Mobile Cath Labs for Your ASC
Start Generating Revenue Quickly
Time is critical when expanding ASC services under new reimbursement rules. Traditional cath lab construction projects often take many months — or longer — due to permitting, design, and capital constraints.
In contrast, a mobile cath lab can be delivered, installed, and ready for cases in days. This allows your ASC to begin offering reimbursable cardiovascular procedures almost immediately, capturing revenue while permanent plans move forward.
Simple, Flexible Financial Model
Building a permanent cath lab requires significant upfront capital investment and long-term commitment. A mobile cath lab provides a simpler alternative with:
- No construction delays
- No long approval timelines
- No long-term contractual lock-ins
Rental agreements are flexible and scalable, allowing ASCs to:
- Test market demand under new CMS reimbursement rules
- Establish proof of concept for CV or EP services
- Operate in parallel with permanent lab construction
Whether your need is short-term or long-term, contracts can be tailored to match your clinical and strategic goals.
Enhanced Patient Access and Experience
Integrating a mobile cath lab into your ASC reduces travel time for patients who would otherwise require hospital-based care. Patients benefit from faster scheduling, a more convenient care environment, and continuity with their physician — all of which support higher satisfaction and improved outcomes.
Regulatory Confidence
Mobile cath labs are designed to meet or exceed cath lab guidelines across U.S. states and jurisdictions and have been successfully deployed in hospital environments for more than 35 years.
While state-level regulations vary, the number of states permitting cardiovascular procedures in ASCs continues to grow — particularly as CMS expands reimbursement and clinical evidence supports the safety of outpatient cardiovascular care.
Partner With Experience
Modular Devices has worked with hospitals and ASCs nationwide to support the growth of cardiovascular programs through mobile cath lab solutions. Our team simplifies the process — from initial planning to delivery and ongoing support — helping organizations move quickly and confidently in today’s evolving ASC landscape.
If your ASC is planning to add cardiovascular or electrophysiology services — or evaluating how to respond to the 2026 CMS reimbursement changes — our experts are ready to help.
