CMS
Public Comment Period Deadline Approaching The
deadline for public comments on the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 2010 Medicare Physician
Fee Schedule is August 31. With that in mind, it is critical
that ACC members across the country contact their respective
members of Congress and urge them to stop the drastic cuts
from being implemented. Congress needs to hear about the impacts
of these proposed cuts as they relate to practice viability
and patient care. ACT
NOW! In the House, Reps. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX) and Mike
Rogers (R-MI) are circulating a letter
to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, expressing concerns regarding
the proposed rule and the data used to justify the practice
expense cuts. For help with scheduling in-district meetings
while members of Congress are home on recess contact Molly
Nichelson at mnichels@acc.org.
Patient materials are available for download at www.acc.org/can.
CMS
Issues Draft Decision to Localize Coverage of MR Blood Flow The
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently published
a draft national decision to eliminate language that prohibits
coverage of blood flow studies with magnetic resonance (MR)
and return decision making authority for coverage to local
contractor discretion, following the efforts of the ACC, American
College of Radiology (ACR) and the Society for Cardiovascular
Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) to reopen the national coverage
determination. The ACC, ACR and SCMR are sending a joint letter
reiterating support for the draft decision.
Generic
Toprol XL Approved The
Food and Drug Administration has approved a genetic version
of Toprol XL [metoprolol], a treatment for high blood pressure
and angina, in 25- and 50-mg extended release tablets. The
generic version will be manufactured by Watson Pharmaceuticals
and will be shipped immediately. More coverage from the Associated
Press is available.
QUALITY
Registration
Closes Friday! ACC’s 2009 Legislative Conference Friday,
August 14 is the registration deadline for ACC’s 2009
Legislative Conference, to be held Sept. 13 – 15 at
the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C. Given the drastic payment
cuts proposed by CMS, as well as efforts to pass overarching
health reform legislation, don’t miss this opportunity
to help educate Congress about the important work the ACC
is doing in the areas of quality improvement and medical imaging.
Even more importantly, you can help advocate for fair reimbursement
and sound, unobtrusive policies that will ensure that cardiovascular
professionals can continue to practice medicine in a manner
that provides the greatest benefit for their patients. Click
here to register now!
Use
Tobacco Policies to Reduce Obesity, Former ACC President Says Lawmakers
should use as an example policies that have lowered tobacco
use to address the U.S. obesity epidemic, according to a new
report from the Urban Institute, co-authored by Tim Garson,
M.D., M.P.H., M.A.C.C. The report, Reducing
Obesity: Policy Strategies from the Tobacco Wars, notes
that raising taxes on tobacco, improving labeling on tobacco
products and restricting advertising helped to reduce use
of tobacco and suggests that these tactics also could help
reduce unhealthy eating habits among kids.
Member
Opinion Piece: Effects of the Proposed Payment Cuts President
of ACC’s Oregon Chapter Michael Widmer, M.D., F.A.C.C.,
was featured in an opinion piece in the Oregonian
on August 9. He describes the payment cuts under the proposed
physician fee schedule and writes that they will “lead
to reduced access and quality care for patients with cardiovascular
disease,” as well as reduce the free care provided to
the uninsured and indigent and forgo participation in quality
improvement activities. He concludes: “The goal for
health reform should be to move physicians, patients and the
nation as a whole closer to ensuring the right care, to the
right patient, at the right time.”
