President
Barack Obama last week released his $3.55 trillion fiscal
year 2010 budget proposal. The budget proposal, which serves
as a guide to Congress as it creates a 2010 budget, sets aside
a reserve fund of $630 billion over ten years that will be
dedicated to financing health reform. The proposal assumes
$329.6 billion in spending to cover Medicare physician payment
reform over ten years. It recommends reforming the physician
payment system to give physicians incentives to improve quality
and efficiency. It also recommends instituting prior authorization
for imaging services and addressing physician ownership in
specialty hospitals.
Overall,
the ACC strongly supports President Obama’s commitment
to reforming the nation’s health care system. However,
the ACC supports physician-owned specialty hospitals and prefers
other methods of addressing imaging utilization than the use
of radiology benefit managers. As Congress prepares the budget
and further considers health care reform, ACC members are
encouraged to convey these important messages to their members
of Congress. Click
here to get involved, or here
for an ACC summary.
Summary,
FAQ for HIT Provisions in Stimulus Bill
The
ACC has created a summary
and list
of frequently-asked questions for the health information
technology (IT) provisions of the “American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009” that include recommendations
for members. The bill contains several health care provisions,
including $1 billion in funding for prevention and wellness
programs, $10 billion in research funding for National Institutes
of Health and $1.1 billion for comparative effectiveness research.
The bill
also contains $19 billion in incentives for “meaningful
users” of health IT. Specifically, the health
IT provisions include incentive payments of up to $18,000
for physicians and hospitals that implement health IT in 2011
or 2012. In subsequent years, this incentive payment drops
to $12,000, $8,000, $4,000 and finally $2,000. Penalties for
physicians and hospitals that do not adopt a certified health
IT system by 2015 start at -1 percent and will grow to -2
percent in 2016 and -3 percent in 2017.
Emergency
Medical Services Bill Introduced Sens.
Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Reps.
Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) and Pete Sessions (R-Texas) on Feb.
25 introduced the “Access to Emergency Medical Services
Act of 2009,” which is intended to improve access to
emergency medical services and the quality and efficiency
of care provided in emergency departments (ED). The ACC supports
the bill, which would create a bipartisan commission to examine
emergency access issues; authorize an additional 10 percent
in Medicare payments to physicians who provide Emergency Medical
Treatment and Labor Act-related care; and create a working
group to study and develop solutions to ED boarding issues.
Lawmakers
Introduce Bill for FDA Regulation of Tobacco
Reps.
Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Todd Platts (R-Pa.) on March 3
introduced the “Family Smoking Prevention & Tobacco
Control Act” (H.R.
1256), which would grant the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products. The bill would
amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to
grant the FDA the authority to restrict tobacco marketing
and sales to youth; require detailed disclosure of ingredients;
allow FDA to require changes to tobacco products; and require
larger, more specific health warnings. The FDA activity would
be funded by a user fee on cigarette manufacturers, allocated
by market share. The bill is scheduled for mark-up by the
House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 4. The ACC supports
the bill and will work with lawmakers to encourage its passage.
REGULATORY
ACC
Hosts Largest MDI Strategy Roundtable
The
ACC last week hosted the first Medical Directors' Institute
(MDI) Strategy Roundtable of 2009 at Heart House in Washington,
D.C. The all-day meeting had its largest attendance of 80
participants including 15 health plans and Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services’ medical directors. The attendees
divided into 4 breakout groups: Merging Administrative and
Clinical Datasets; Cardiovascular Practice Recognition Program
(CVRP); CCTA: Assessing Quality and Value; and Physician Measurement
and Reporting. The sessions provided an opportunity for ACC
members, medical directors, and stakeholders to discuss and
give feedback on the various topics.
FDA
Issues Alert for Anti-Seizure Drug
The
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Feb. 23 issued an alert
for the anti-seizure medication Zonegran, after determining
that recent data indicates patients taking the drug have a
higher risk of metabolic acidosis, which can cause irregular
heart rhythms, among other side effects. The risk appears
to be more frequent and severe in younger patients. The FDA
recommends that health care professionals measure serum bicarbonate
before starting treatment and periodically during treatment.
The FDA is working with the makers of zonisamide to revise
the product labeling to reflect this new safety information.
More
information is available from FDA.
QUALITY
ACC
on the Air
Tune
your radio to Reach MD, channel 160 on XM Radio, to hear ACC’s
“Heart Matters” series. The show covers clinical
developments, cardiovascular technology, health policy and
more. President Doug Weaver, M.D., F.A.C.C., Senior Vice President
of Science and Quality Janet Wright, M.D., F.A.C.C., and ACC
CEO Jack Lewin host the show and talk to compelling guests.
New programs air on Mondays, but previous programs can be
accessed free of charge online by clicking here.
