American College of Cardiology

Fundraising Efforts…The ACC PAC participated in a January 15 fundraiser along with 10 other physician specialty organizations for Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa. Sen. Specter, who is chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, spoke during the small gathering on issues ranging from physician payment to medical liability reform. On January 30, Sen. Specter held a hearing on Medicare physician reimbursement, during which ACC Advocacy Committee member Jay H. Kleiman, MD, testified. During the hearing, Sen. Specter raised concern about the quality and accuracy of the data currently being used to calculate the medical liability relative units (RVUs) as part of the Medicare physician fee schedule and urged CMS Administrator Tom Scully to take action to make the RVUs more reflective of what is going on in the "real world."

Presidential Politics…The American Association of Health Plans (AAHP) issued the results of a poll last week that gauged the public's feeling on some of the most pertinent health care issues facing the country. The poll was conducted in Iowa with 600 likely primary voters and in New Hampshire with 800 likely voters and included an equal number of registered Democrats and Republicans. The number one health care issue for Iowa Democrats was prescription drug coverage for seniors. Coverage for the uninsured was the top issue for New Hampshire Democrats. For the GOP, controlling costs was the number one concern for both Iowa and New Hampshire voters. Looking to the 2004 presidential race, Sen. John Kerry, Mass., was the number one preference among Democratic respondents in both states, followed by Rep. Dick Gephardt, Ill., in Iowa and Sen. Joe Lieberman, Conn., in New Hampshire.

Special Election Set…Texas Gov. Rick Perry, R, has set the special election to replace Rep. Larry Combest, R-19th, for May 3. Potential candidates have until April 2 to enter the race. Congressional Quarterly lists businessman Mike Conaway, state Rep. Carl Isett, and ex-Lubbock Councilor Randy Neugebauer as the early frontrunners. Rep. Combest has held the solidly Republican 19th district for 18 years.

Senator Miller Set to Retire…Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga., has announced he will not run for re-election in 2004. As reported in the Washington Post, Sen. Miller, a popular figure in Georgia, has pledged to "neither endorse nor campaign for any candidate" seeking to win his seat. Rep. Johnny Isakson, R, is the only candidate from his party to have officially announced his bid. As for Democrats, two prominent figures, Secretary of State Cathy Cox and former governor Roy Barnes, have decided not to run.

Looking ahead to 2004…North Carolina Rep. Richard Burr, R-5th, is expected to announce his candidacy for the Senate seat currently held by presidential hopeful, Sen. John Edwards, D, According to Roll Call, Rep. Burr has significantly increased his fundraising efforts and should be announcing his intentions sometime this month. Rep. Walter Jones, Jr., R-3rd, is currently the only other Republican currently being talked about as a possible contender. In the event that Sen. Edwards decides not to run and instead concentrate on his presidential candidacy, several Democratic hopefuls are being talked about as potential candidates. 2002 Senate candidate Erskine Bowles, Rep. Bob Etheridge, and state Sen. Dan Blue are all awaiting Sen. Edwards' decision.

In Kentucky, Lt. Gov. Steve Henry, D, may be considering a challenge to GOP Sen. Jim Bunning. Henry, an orthopedic surgeon, was considered a likely gubernatorial candidate, but after missing the filing deadline, speculation has turned to the possibility of a run for Senate. Bunning won election with only 50 percent of the vote in 1998.

Senator Springer?...Jerry Springer, host of The Jerry Springer Show, is mulling over a challenge to Ohio Sen. George Voinovich in 2004. As reported in Roll Call, when asked about the race, Springer commented, "There are pluses and minuses. The plus is that I'm known by everybody. The minus is that I'm known by everybody."