American College of Cardiology

Events at ACC ’03… ACC PAC held its first annual Chair’s Leadership Circle Dinner in Chicago during ACC ’03. This event, given in honor of our members who contributed $1,000 or more to the PAC, featured Congressman Phil Gingrey, R-GA, and Congressman Mark S. Kirk, R-IL. Rep. Gingrey spoke about his experience as an obstetrician and, based on those experiences, his decision to seek federal office. Rep. Kirk, spoke earlier in the day at a program entitled, “Empowering Physicians for the Future: How You Can Shape the Health Policy Agenda.” Rep. Kirk reiterated the importance of focusing on one issue during a congressional visit to effectively get your message across. Michael E. Dunn, President, Michael E. Dunn & Associates spoke during the program about the need for the physician community to recognize the power of their voice in becoming a resource for their respective congressional delegation.

Fundraising Events… ACC attended a fundraiser on behalf of Rep. Nancy L. Johnson, R-CT. Rep. Johnson commented that the recent announcement that physician Medicare reimbursement could be cut to 4.2 percent next year, despite the action taken by Congress and CMS in March, may help physicians better make the case the physician payment update formula is flawed and must be replaced. Rep. Johnson also seemed to have a growing interest in the issue of disease management versus utilization management. On the issue of medical liability, Ms. Johnson said if Congress is to be successful in passing medical liability reform legislation then physicians must make the public understand why their premiums are increasing and why there is a need for liability reform.

ACC attended a breakfast fundraiser for Republican Conference Chair Sen. Rick Santorum, PA, focused largely on the issue of medical liability reform. Santorum, a member of the Finance Committee, sought the advice of the physician and health care community as to whether it would be best to hold off a vote on medical liability reform given the world events and discussed several strategies for getting a medical liability reform bill to conference.

The Alliance of Specialty Medicine held meet and greets for both Democrat and Republican freshman members of Congress. Given that freshman members of Congress rarely get appointed to the Ways and Means or Energy and Commerce Committees, the committees with jurisdiction over health issues, this event served as an excellent opportunity to interact with these new members. Newly-elected Democrats who attended were Linda Sanchez, CA, C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger, MD, Denise Majette, GA, Kendrick Meek, FL, Rahm Emanuel, IL, Rodney Alexander, LA, and Frank Balance, NC. Among those in attendance at the Republican event was Rep. Jeb Bradley, NH, Phil Gingrey, GA, Candice Miller, MI, Michael Burgess, TX, Jim Gerlach, PA, Mike Rogers, AL, Scott Garrett, NJ, Ginny Brown-Waite, FL, Max Burns, GA, Rick Renzi, AZ, and Chris Chocola, IN. Veteran GOP lawmakers Phil English, a member of the Ways & Means Health Subcommittee, PA, and Bob Ney, House Administration Chairman, OH, were also present at the event.

The ACC joined with other physician specialty organizations in purchasing a seat at the Republican Capitol Hill Club Dinner. Seated at the table with the physician groups was Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, TX. The event provided great visibility for the ACC, as well as some valuable face time with the majority leader.

Open Senate Seat in Illinois… Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald announced this week he will not be seeking election to a second term. The Chicago Sun-Times reports former Gov. Jim Edgar as the favored candidate for the GOP. The paper writes, “Edgar is the Tier 1 prospect for the elephants; Tier 2 is empty, and there’s a crowd in Tier 3.” Democrats argue that the vacancy increases their chances of retaking the seat. Both chambers in the state legislature and the governorship are currently held by Democrats. There are currently seven Democrats registered for the primary.

Daschle in Trouble?... The Washington Times reported on a poll taken last month for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) indicating that Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D, would lose in an election to former GOP Rep. John Thune. Thune was picked by 46 percent of South Dakota voters over Daschle’s 44 percent. Thune, who lost a 2002 Senate bid to Sen. Tim Johnson, D, by just 524 votes, has not said publicly whether or not he will run for the Daschle’s seat in 2004. Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report said Daschle “is as vulnerable as he as ever been. It’s a Republican state and Daschle has been very critical of a popular president.” Daschle has pledged to rake in more than $10 million dollars in his bid for a fourth term representing a state with a population of less than 800,000.

Quotes of Note… “President Bush said that frivolous lawsuits never helped anybody. Yeah, tell that to my brand-new house in Georgetown.” – Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., at the Gridiron dinner (National Journal)