ACC
Wins Grassroots Innovation Award
The Public Affairs Council’s Grassroots Innovation
Award recognizes the nation's best grassroots programs and
campaigns. The award is announced each year during the Council's
National Grassroots Conference and is comprised of an overall
winner and two outstanding achievement winners. The College
was announced as the overall winner, receiving the Public
Affairs Council's 2004 Grassroots Innovation Award for its
Cardiologist-for-a-Day program. Adam Nelson, State Legislative
Affairs, and Denise Garris, Payer Advocacy, coordinated the
program with leadership from Kathleen Flood, Director, Payer
Advocacy, and working with individual Chapters and physician
practices. The program draws together state legislators and
payers (private insurance company or Medicare regional reps)
in a physician practice setting to essentially shadow an ACC
member for a day, witness cardiovascular procedures, learn
about billing practices, and discuss the challenges of modern
health care delivery. You can find more about the program
and watch a short video of ACC member Michael Mirro, MD, Indiana,
who pilot tested the program for the ACC, online at http://www.acc.org/advocacy/state_center/state.htm.
Medical
Liability Reform Fails Again in U.S. Senate
On Feb. 24, following two days of debate, the Senate blocked
consideration of a bill that would provide medical liability
protections to obstetricians and gynecologists by a vote of
48-45, well short of the 60 votes necessary. Every Democrat
voted against S. 2061, the "Healthy Mothers and Healthy
Babies Access to Care Act," with the exception of Sen.
Robert Byrd, W.Va., and six Democrats who did not vote. Three
Republicans voted against the bill, and one did not vote.
S. 2061 included liability reforms similar to those contained
in the House-passed medical liability reform bill, H.R. 5, including
a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages. The ACC, the American
Medical Association and a number of physician specialty organizations
supported S. 2061 as an incremental step toward medical
liability reform for all patients and all physicians. Senate
GOP leaders have indicated they will continue with their incremental
strategy, despite the defeat of S. 2061. Work is already underway
on a bill that would provide liability protections to trauma/emergency
services.
ACC/Duke
Examine Post Market Surveillance
Last week, ACC President Carl Pepine, MD, and Duke University's
Robert Califf, MD, co-hosted a post-market surveillance summit
with key representatives from government, industry, the ACC,
and the research community, to focus on improving patient
safety. Discussions centered on ways to encourage physicians
to improve reporting of serious outcomes and adverse events
associated with pharmaceutical or device use, as well as the
need for better communication between government, industry
and professional societies when critical situations occur.
"When an announcement is made that a device is associated
with an unexpected event, or recalled, our members have to
deal with the patients who have the device or are about to
receive similar devices," Dr. Pepine commented. "If
we [ACC], as the professional society, were involved, we could
facilitate the PMS [post market surveillance] process and
improve the data quality. Pepine noted that as an independent
observer, ACC could render unbiased opinions.
Drug Reimportation Issue May Hold
Up McClellan Confirmation
FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan’s CMS nomination process
may become a battleground for issues surrounding drug reimportation.
Frustrated by McClellan’s refusal to support drug reimportation
from Canada, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Byron L. Dorgan
(D-N.D.) have threatened to use McClellan’s nomination
hearings to demand responses as to why reimportation of drugs
from Canada is not allowed. McCain and Dorgan raised the issue
Feb. 24 at the National Governors’ Association conference.
None of the lawmakers express concerns about McClellan’s
qualifications; however, using his nomination proceedings as
a pulpit for raising this issue is just one of several parliamentary
maneuvers planned by McCain, Dorgan and their allies in the
cause. (Washington Post, Feb. 25) During the same conference,
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) announced that his state would
defy the FDA and launch an Internet site this week to steer
residents to selected Canadian mail-order pharmacies. (Washington
Post, Feb. 25)
Crawford Will Take Over Reorganized
FDA
When FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan takes over the helm at
CMS, FDA Deputy Commissioner Lester Crawford, PhD, will take
over a reorganized FDA. To ensure a smooth transition, the FDA
is implementing a three-deputy commissioner structure on an
acting basis. The three deputy commissioners will be as follows:
- Principal Associate Commissioner Murray Lumpkin, MD, will
become deputy commissioner for special programs while continuing
his work on international initiatives
- Associate Commissioner for Legislation Amit Sachdev will
take on an expanded role as deputy commissioner for policy,
working more closely with HHS; and
- Center for Drug Evaluation & Research Director Janet
Woodcock will serve as deputy commissioner for operations,
picking up more day-to-day responsibilities. She will continue
her work on implementing the agency’s strategic plan
and the agency guidance on biologics, also. (Health
News Daily, Feb. 23)
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)
Corrects Pravachol Information
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has issued a "dear colleague"
missive to ACC and others correcting use information about Pravachol
that had been disseminated to physicians and consumers. BMS
clarifies that Pravachol has not been proven to help prevent
heart attacks and stroke in patients with diabetes, has not
been proven to help prevent stroke in patients without coronary
heart disease, and has not been proven to help prevent heart
attack or stroke in borderline high cholesterol patients without
coronary heart disease. Also, Pravachol is not appropriate for
reducing cholesterol levels in borderline high patients who
are not drug eligible according to NCEP guidelines.
ACC
Guide to CPT 2004 Available Now
The ACC Guide to CPT 2004 is now available for purchase through
the ACC Resource Center. This guide provides comprehensive information
on coding for cardiovascular services. Please contact 1-800-253-4636,
ext. 694 to order. Prices are $85 for members and $110 for nonmembers
with discounts for multiple copies. New this year are full CPT
code descriptors, a chapter on hospital billing, and updated
payment policies.
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ACC
Annual Meeting Reminders!!!
Make sure you don’t miss these events in New
Orleans:
ACC
PAC Chair’s Leadership Dinner (by Invitation Only)
Date: Sunday, March 7, 2004
Time: 8:00pm-10:00pm
Place: Arnauds, 813 Rue Bienville, New Orleans
For More Information Contact Shana Myers at smyers@acc.org
Practice
Management Consultant, Hobart Collins
Topic: Question & Answer Session
Date: Monday, March 8, 2004
Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Place: ACC Booth, Advocacy Station
For more information Contact Mia Thomas at mthomas@acc.org
Health
Care and the 2004 Elections
Topic: Debate on the political elections
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2004
Time: 7:00am – 8:15 am
Place: Room 342, Morial Convention Center
For More Information Contact Dana Langley Birdsong
at dbirdson@acc.org
Health
Policy Symposium
Topic: Off Label Use of Drugs and Devices
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2004
Time: 10:30 am-12 noon
Place: Room 254, Morial Convention Center
For More Information Contact Carrie Kovar |
Advocacy
Weekly is a product of the Advocacy Division of the American
College of Cardiology. Questions or comments regarding this
publication should be directed to the Advocacy Division at 800-435-9203
or to advocacydiv@acc.org. |
