Feb. 22, 2005

IMAGING

Attention Indiana Members: Urgent Action Required
ACC members in Indiana are urged to promptly contact their state representatives regarding HB 1494, which passed the state's House Public Health Committee today. The bill, which was originally written to be a moratorium on the construction or addition of comprehensive care beds, ambulatory outpatient surgical centers and hospitals, was amended during process and now authorizes a county's governing body to prohibit the construction of hospitals, ambulatory outpatient surgery centers and comprehensive care beds that they feel would compete with county hospitals. The Indiana Chapter of the ACC recently sent a legislative alert to members warning them of several bills that posed a threat to cardiovascular imaging. To learn how you can help, contact stateadvocacy@acc.org.

Troubling Tennessee Bills Prompt Legislative Alert
A series of imaging bills recently introduced by the Tennessee legislature has prompted the state ACC Chapter to issue an alert asking cardiovascular specialists to contact their state legislators about these restrictive bills. The proposed legislation would limit providers of imaging tests and place administrative burdens on those permitted to perform diagnostic scans. To learn more about this legislation and what you can do to help, visit www.acc.org/egrassroots.htm or contact stateadvocacy@acc.org.

REIMBURSEMENT

ACC Opposes Angiography Coding Edits
The ACC joined four other specialty physician groups in requesting deletion of recent National Correct Coding Initiative edits to diagnostic angiography codes relating to therapeutic interventional radiological supervision and interpretation. Click here to view a joint letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from the ACC, American College of Radiology, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society for Vascular Surgery and Society of Interventional Radiology.

Georgia Passes Liability Reform Legislation
Gov. Sonny Purdue signed into law sweeping medical liability reforms last week, including a $350,000 cap on non-economic damages awarded in medical liability cases. Surrounded by physicians and nurses, including ACC Georgia Governor Vic Corrigan, M.D., F.A.C.C., Purdue signed the bill, saying, “This is about access to health care.” The Georgia Chapter of the ACC worked closely with the state medical society to move this legislation forward, and other states may soon follow Georgia’s lead.

Shortly after the Georgia bill signing, the South Carolina Senate passed a bill capping non-economic damages at $350,000, and legislators emphasized the need for meaningful liability reforms to remain competitive with its neighbors. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford commended the state Senate for its passage of this “absolutely vital legislation.” Click here to read Sanford’s statement on medical liability reform.

Alliance Testifies at Small Business Hearing on Liability Reform
Testifying before the House Committee on Small Business, Alliance of Specialty Medicine representative Thomas Gleason, M.D., related the toll of high liability insurance rates on physician practices across the country. An orthopaedic surgeon from Illinois, Dr. Gleason said his practice’s annual premiums have increased to $5.6 million, a 250 percent jump, since July 2002. “As a business man, the fact that this country has gone crazy with litigation is breaking my practice, but as a physician it breaks my heart,” said Dr. Gleason. Click here to read the Alliance’s press statement and testimony.

After three days of hearings on the cardiovascular risks associates with COX-2 inhibitors, FDA advisers concluded that the popular painkillers should remain on the market with stronger warnings on cardiovascular risks and stricter advertising limits. The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of the advisory committee, but will take them into account while developing a regulatory decision on COX-2 inhibitors, which is expected this week.

Senate Introduces Aneurysm Screening Bill
Sens. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Jim Bunning, R-Ky., introduced legislation this week that would provide Medicare reimbursement for an ultrasound screening that detects potentially fatal abdominal aortic aneurysms. Coming on the heels of a screening endorsement by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Senate bill would provide the aneurysm screening for thousands of at-risk Medicare beneficiaries, including men and women with a history of smoking, high blood pressure and atherosclerotic disease.

Medtronic Issues ICD Alert
Medtronic recently announced that it will voluntarily notify physicians of a battery shorting mechanism that may occur with some models of implantable cardiac defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators. Click here to view Medtronic’s product warning.