Ascension, AMSURG Close Deal as ASC Consolidation Heats Up

Healthcare attorneys Michelle Huntsman and Nathaniel Gardner were quoted in an Ambulatory Surgery Center News article examining Ascension's $3.9 billion acquisition of ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operator AMSURG and what the transaction signals for the broader healthcare market. The deal, finalized June 4, 2026, follows a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) order requiring the divestiture of seven ASCs in select markets to address competition concerns and is widely seen as a sign of continued consolidation and investment in the ASC sector.

Ms. Huntsman highlighted the significance of the FTC's conditions, particularly the prior notice requirement tied to future ASC acquisitions in certain regions.

"The 10-year prior notice period is significant as it covers any ASC acquisition in the five entire metro areas for the divested surgery centers," she said. "The likely result is that Ascension will not have any new activity in such markets for at least a 10-year period."

Mr. Gardner added that although federal regulators did not require extensive divestitures for this transaction, the government remains focused on competition in the ASC space.

"[The] ASC market is highly active, and the FTC is scrutinizing horizontal transactions between ASC platforms," he said, noting that the agency is also coordinating with state attorneys general to evaluate how healthcare transactions may affect local communities from an antitrust perspective.

READ: Ascension, AMSURG Close Deal as ASC Consolidation Heats Up