Accelerating Demand for Specialized RCM Solutions in Outpatient and Ancillary Services Set to Surge in 2025, Reports Black Book Research

The U.S. healthcare revenue cycle management (RCM) outsourcing market for outpatient and ancillary services is experiencing significant growth. In 2023, the market sector was valued at approximately USD 6.1 billion. Projections indicate that it will reach USD 24.7 billion by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.3% during the forecasted period.

TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / November 15, 2024 / As the healthcare industry accelerates its shift toward outpatient care in 2025, the demand for specialized Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) solutions tailored to ancillary services is climbing rapidly. The U.S. market for RCM outsourcing in outpatient and ancillary settings is poised for substantial growth, driven by increasing complexities in billing, coding, and regulatory compliance. Healthcare organizations are prioritizing outsourcing to optimize revenue cycles, enhance operational efficiency, and focus on patient care. In 2023, this sector was valued at approximately $6.1 billion, with projections showing it will expand to $24.7 billion by 2030-reflecting a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.3%. This upward trend is fueled by the growing need for streamlined RCM processes in high-volume, cost-sensitive outpatient environments, where providers are under pressure to reduce denials, improve cash flow, and comply with ever-evolving payer requirements.

"Providers are looking for scalable, flexible solutions tailored to the high-volume, fast-paced demands of ancillary services," said Doug Brown, Founder of Black Book. "With increasing complexity in healthcare finance, outsourced RCM vendors are becoming essential partners, helping outpatient providers optimize financial performance and adapt to evolving reimbursement challenges."

Ancillary services are increasingly vital to healthcare, requiring specialized RCM solutions to handle unique coding, pre-authorizations, and payer guidelines. Labs and imaging centers are turning to RCM outsourcing to streamline billing, enhance reimbursements, and focus more on patient care. This trend is driving efficiency and helping providers adapt to evolving regulations, setting them up for growth in 2025 and beyond.

A yearlong survey by Black Book, covering 3,125 staff and administrators in outpatient and ancillary settings, reveals a growing reliance on RCM vendors to boost financial operations. The survey found that 39% of respondents, including managers and business office supervisors, stressed the need for tailored RCM outsourcing solutions to enhance financial outcomes. Significantly, 83% of ancillary administrators plan to outsource some or all RCM functions by fiscal year 2027, reflecting a clear shift toward outsourcing to streamline revenue cycles and improve efficiency.

"The growth of outpatient care underscores the need for outsourced RCM services to support diverse ancillary providers in a complex reimbursement landscape," said Brown. "With fewer regulations than hospitals but specific compliance needs, ancillary services greatly benefit from specialized RCM solutions. Whether ensuring CLIA compliance for labs or navigating payer rules for radiology and behavioral health, tailored RCM systems are essential. As outpatient care expands, these customized solutions will be key in boosting the financial performance of healthcare organizations, making RCM vendors vital partners."

The vendors awarded the highest customer satisfaction and client experience for 2024 were announced at the conclusion of this year's sweeping RCM user polling. They are:

Laboratory Services RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - XiFin Inc.

Laboratory services require specialized RCM systems to manage high-volume, low-cost transactions, streamline insurance verification, and optimize billing, coding, and claims management for improved cash flow and financial performance.

Radiology/Imaging Centers RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - Xifin Inc.

Imaging centers require specialized RCM systems to navigate complex coding, pre-authorizations, and payer rules, ensuring compliance, reducing errors, and optimizing reimbursements for high-cost procedures.

Durable Medical Equipment (DME) RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - Medbill

DME providers need specialized RCM systems to handle stringent Medicare rules, complex authorizations, high denial rates, and nuanced billing for rentals versus purchases, while ensuring proper documentation and optimizing reimbursement.

Home Health and Hospice Services RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - SimiTree

Home health and hospice services require specialized RCM systems to handle recurring visits, precise coding for long-term care episodes, value-based contract compliance, patient eligibility, and authorizations, ensuring optimized reimbursements and financial sustainability.

Pharmacy Specialty Services RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - Optum

Specialty pharmacies face complex RCM challenges due to high-volume claims, intricate pricing, and costly medications, requiring precise systems for managing PBM, insurance formularies, copayments, and authorizations. Efficient RCM solutions streamline inventory management, ensure compliance, and optimize reimbursements, reducing burdens while improving patient access to essential medications.

Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Centers RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - WebPT

Rehabilitation services, like physical and occupational therapy, require specialized RCM systems to manage repeated sessions, insurance caps, authorizations, and detailed documentation, ensuring accurate coding, compliance, and optimized reimbursements.

Ambulatory Surgery Centers RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - SIS

Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) require specialized RCM systems to manage unique coding, compliance, and pre-certifications for outpatient procedures, with a growing demand for efficient solutions in 2025 due to the shift toward outpatient care. Accurate handling of ASC-specific CPT codes, global periods, and high-cost surgeries is critical for profitability, making tailored RCM solutions essential for optimizing revenue and adapting to evolving payer policies.

Behavioral Health RCM Services, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - Qualifacts

Outpatient mental and behavioral health services require specialized RCM systems to manage unique coding, recurring treatments, group therapy, telehealth, prior authorizations, and payer compliance, ensuring optimized reimbursements and streamlined operations for efficient care delivery.

Dialysis Centers RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - Change Healthcare

In 2025, dialysis centers will face RCM challenges due to high costs and frequent treatments, especially with Medicare as the primary payer for end-stage renal disease. Effective RCM systems are crucial for managing chronic care billing, accurate coding, and patient eligibility to optimize reimbursements while reducing administrative burdens.

Sleep Study Centers RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor- NextGen Healthcare

Sleep centers face RCM challenges with complex diagnostic tests like polysomnography, requiring precise coding and lengthy insurance approvals. Managing claims, especially for treatments like CPAP often deemed experimental, is crucial. Tailored RCM solutions streamline claims processing, reduce denials, and optimize revenue, enabling sleep centers to focus on patient care.

Oncology and Infusion Centers RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - CureMD

Chemotherapy and infusion centers face complex RCM challenges due to the high costs and strict pre-authorizations required for oncology treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Efficient RCM systems are essential for precise coding, managing high-cost drug claims, tracking patient benefits, and ensuring compliance with oncology-specific insurance rules to prevent denials. Tailored solutions streamline billing, optimize revenue, and ensure financial stability, allowing these centers to focus on delivering critical cancer care.

Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) & Post Acute RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - NetSmart

Short-term rehab and subacute care centers require specialized RCM systems to navigate complex payments, bundled models, and Medicare/Medicaid regulations, ensuring compliance and efficient billing for extended stays and chronic care to optimize reimbursements and support patient recovery.

Urgent Care Centers RCM, Top Rated Outsourcing Vendor - Med USA

Outsourcing RCM for urgent care centers focuses on managing high patient volumes with efficient processes like real-time insurance verification, accurate coding, and rapid claims submission, ensuring timely reimbursements. Unlike inpatient care with longer stays and bundled payments, urgent care centers require quick billing cycles and robust denial management to optimize cash flow. Tailored solutions streamline collections and provide actionable analytics, allowing urgent care providers to enhance financial performance while focusing on patient care.

About Black Book Research

Black Book is an independent healthcare market research firm focused on providing data-driven insights into industry IT and managed services. Its evaluations are designed to reflect the genuine experiences of actual users, with a commitment to impartiality. By implementing comprehensive validation processes and encouraging broad participation in surveys, Black Book aims to ensure reliable and credible results. The firm's rigorous survey methods, which gather extensive feedback from end users, support healthcare organizations in making informed decisions regarding technology and services. This dedication to objectivity and professional standards positions Black Book as a respected, vendor-neutral resource for healthcare intelligence.

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SOURCE: Black Book Research

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