American College of Cardiology

May 23, 2005

IMAGING

Indiana Governor Signs Physician Referral Law
The Governor of Indiana recently signed a bill designed to improve physician disclosure of patient referrals to a facility in which the physician has a financial interest. Under the new law, physicians who are referring patients to a facility must inform the patients in writing of any financial ties to that facility. Physicians must also notify patients in writing of their right to choose another facility, have patients sign the notice and retain a copy of the signed notice.

Kansas City Physicians File Class-Action Suit
More than a dozen insurance companies have been named in class-action lawsuits filed in Kansas and Missouri by physicians who claim the companies have worked together to deny, delay or bundle payments. Twenty-five medical groups representing more than 2,000 Kansas City physicians have joined the lawsuit, claiming that the insurers are putting profits over patients.

Fast Facts About the Five-Year Review of CPT Codes
The ACC will be distributing surveys during the week of June 6 to physicians who expressed interest in participating in the five-year review process for resource-based relative value units. The survey is part of a mandated review of CPT codes by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ensure that medical services are appropriately valued. Survey results will be used to calculate reimbursement for cardiovascular services for the next five years. To learn more about the process, click here.

Rhode Island Joins AMA ‘Crisis’ List
The American Medical Association (AMA) has added Rhode Island to its list of medical liability “crisis” states, bringing the total number of AMA crisis states to 20. According to a Rhode Island Medical Society survey, 49 percent of Rhode Island physicians have discontinued or considered discontinuing services due to skyrocketing liability insurance premiums. Click here to view the AMA’s state-by-state analysis of the medical liability environment. The ACC continues to partner with other medical specialty groups through Doctors for Medical Liability Reform and The Alliance of Specialty Medicine to push for meaningful liability reform.

FDA Issues Notice on Natrecor Labeling Changes
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is notifying cardiovascular professionals about labeling changes to the heart failure drug Natrecor. The label now includes 30-day mortality data in addition to the previously included 180-day data. Learn more here.