American College of Cardiology

ACC Thanks Sen. Baucus for Efforts to Halt Payment Cuts
In a letter sent April 30, ACC President Douglas Weaver, M.D., F.A.C.C., thanked Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) for his efforts to provide relief from the cuts in Medicare physician payment that are scheduled to take effect on July 1. Sen. Baucus and the Senate leadership are developing a Medicare package that is expected to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote in May. The ACC strongly supports Sen. Baucus' efforts to halt the 10.6 percent Medicare physician payment cut and to provide positive updates for 18 months, as well as relief for physicians in rural areas. The letter indicates the ACC's willingness to work with Sen. Baucus to replace the sustainable growth rate formula with a new system that aligns incentives for the provision of appropriate, high-quality patient care and more accurately reflects physician practice costs. In addition, the letter thanked Sen. Baucus for his commitment to extending the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative.

To view a copy of the letter, visit: http://www.acc.org/advocacy/advoc_issues/rc_medicare.htm. To contact your Senators and urge them to stop the scheduled Medicare payment cuts, call the ACC's toll-free Grassroots Hotline at (800) 210-7193 or log on to the ACC's CardioAdvocacy Network Web site at www.acc.org/can.

From the Lewin Report: Let the Sunshine In
The Senate Finance Committee continues to work on its Medicare package, which could see Senate floor action in the next couple of weeks. Built into the hopefully 18-month SGR patch (0.5 percent this year, 1.1 percent next year) may be a “physician sunshine” provision, to require online disclosure by industry of gifts, honoraria, travel, consulting fees, discounts and services to physicians in excess of $25. The “Sunshine Act” proposal has broad, bipartisan support, and thus could be built in easily to the SGR patch. The ACC is suggesting amendments to increase the limit for disclosure; to ensure that federal law preempts related state laws; to require prior notice that a payment or item is subject to disclosure; to allow health care professionals to review the public report prior to posting; and to exclude payments donated to a charity, along with educational materials or samples intended for patients. The ACC also believes that subsidies for education and professional meetings, and unrestricted grants for research should be excluded. What do you think? Join the discussion online at http://lewinreport.acc.org.

FDA News Update
Physio-Control, Inc., and parent company Medtronic, Inc., have signed a consent decree of permanent injunction prohibiting the manufacture, distribution and export of certain automatic external defibrillators (AED) manufactured by Physio-Control, Inc., in its Redmond, Wash., facility. The decree will remain until the devices and facility comply with FDA current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) requirements, as determined by the Quality System regulation for devices. FDA inspections of the Redmond facility in October 2006 and January 2008 found several cGMP deficiencies, although the AEDs manufactured in the facility will not necessarily harm patients. The facility may resume manufacturing and distribution when the FDA is satisfied that it is in compliance with cGMP requirements. For more information, visit the FDA Web site here.

CMS Expands Medicare Coverage of Artificial Hearts
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 1 issued a final National Coverage Determination (NCD) that expands Medicare coverage of artificial hearts when implanted as part of a study that is FDA-approved and meets CMS' Coverage with Evidence Development clinical research criteria. The decision revises CMS' 1986 non-coverage policy. CMS said it believes that there is now sufficient scientific evidence on the use of artificial hearts to justify coverage in carefully controlled clinical environments. The decision will assist in the development of further evidence about the outcomes of such technology, according to CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems. The final decision memorandum is available on the CMS Web site here.

Save the Date: Learn More About ACC’s Cardiovascular Recognition Program
The ACC Payer Advocacy Department on May 14 at 2:30 p.m. EST will hold a "Second Wednesday" call for all members regarding the Cardiovascular Recognition Program (CVRP). The CVRP is a practice-level recognition program designed specifically to identify quality in cardiovascular practice. The ACC plans to offer the CVRP as a tool for cardiovascular practitioners and health care purchasers to understand and evaluate quality cardiovascular care. ACC Vice President of Science and Quality, Janet Wright, M.D., F.A.C.C., will present the guiding principles and key characteristics of the program. Register for the call by clicking here.

The Second Wednesday calls are intended to give the College’s membership the opportunity to learn, interact, ask questions, and receive answers to the most important payer issues affecting cardiovascular specialists and their practices. This Webinar will be the second all-member call offered by the Payer Advocacy Department. In March, the department hosted UnitedHealthcare in an open discussion on accreditation and premium designation with over 100 cardiovascular practices.

ACC Weighs in on Sen. McCain's Health System Reform Plans
The ACC last week issued a statement applauding Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) efforts to tackle the serious issues surrounding health system reform. McCain's plan would provide tax credits of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families. In addition, it would allow for the purchase of insurance coverage through any organization, reducing the reliance on employer-provided plans. McCain supports the idea of a medical home to coordinate care and provide quality outcomes. He also supports better utilization of health information technology (HIT), including electronic health records. His plan would not include an individual mandate.

Ensuring all Americans have access to care that is appropriate, cost-effective and of high value is absolutely essential. The ACC is committed to taking quality care to the next level by increasing transparency, focusing on measurable outcomes and providing greater accountability within care. McCain's efforts to ensure quality care provide opportunities for collaboration, particularly in the areas of HIT, improved treatment of chronic diseases, prevention, and guidelines and registry use. However, the ACC is concerned about the economics of McCain's plan. While expanding coverage to the currently uninsured makes sense, overhauling the entire system and impacting those that are already insured could be disastrous in the short term.

The ACC looks forward to working with Sen. McCain and the other presidential candidates in the coming months to define what real reform could look like. To share your views on this issue, go to: http:\\lewinreport.acc.org.