FTC Clears Ascension’s $3.9B AmSurg Deal with ASC Divestitures in 5 Markets
The FTC approved Ascension’s $3.9 billion acquisition of AmSurg, the nation’s largest independent ambulatory surgery center operator, under a consent order issued June 2, 2026. To preserve competition, Ascension must divest seven AmSurg ASCs across five markets—Nashville, Panama City, Tulsa, Waco, and Wichita. Six of the seven centers will be sold to SC Affiliates; the seventh, in Panama City, goes to Florida Gastroenterology Center, a current minority owner. Ascension must also seek prior FTC approval before acquiring additional ASCs in those same markets for 10 years. The deal consolidates two of the largest players in the ambulatory surgery space and is expected to accelerate Ascension’s outpatient growth strategy.
The deal creates the largest hospital-affiliated ASC operator in the country, intensifying competition in ambulatory markets and raising the bar for independent ASC groups on scale, operational efficiency, and payer access. The 10-year FTC notice requirement will shape how Ascension—and likely other large systems—pursue ASC acquisitions in targeted markets going forward.
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Which markets require ASC divestitures in the Ascension-AmSurg deal?
The FTC consent order requires Ascension to divest seven AmSurg ambulatory surgery centers across five markets: Nashville, Tennessee; Panama City, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Waco, Texas; and Wichita, Kansas. These are the markets where the FTC determined the merger would otherwise reduce competition.
What ongoing FTC restrictions apply after the Ascension-AmSurg deal closes?
For 10 years, Ascension must provide prior notice to the FTC before acquiring any additional ambulatory surgery centers in the metropolitan areas surrounding the five divested markets. This condition is designed to prevent Ascension from rebuilding market concentration through future acquisitions.
Who is buying the divested AmSurg surgery centers?
Six of the seven divested surgery centers will be sold to SC Affiliates, an experienced national ASC operator. The seventh center, in Panama City, Florida, will be acquired by Florida Gastroenterology Center, a physician group that currently holds a minority stake in that facility.