ACC
Honors Four Members of Congress at Republican National Convention
On Aug. 31, the ACC and other members of the
Alliance
of Specialty Medicine, honored four legislators for their
work on behalf of specialty physicians and their patients.
Sens. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, joined
Reps. James Greenwood, R-Pa., and Nancy Johnson, R-Conn.,
in accepting the 2004 Hugh Williamson Award for Congressional
Leadership from the Alliance. All four recipients have been
instrumental in supporting two priority issues of the Alliance:
medical liability reform and correcting problems with the
Medicare physician payment formula. ACC members and ACC PAC
contributors Howard Walpole, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.C., of Tennessee,
and Jay Alexander, M.D., F.A.C.C., of Illinois, represented
the College at the Alliance event held in New York City during
the National Republican Convention.
In
related news, the New York City Council acknowledged the vital
role specialty physicians play in the city’s health
care system by proclaiming Aug. 31, 2004, Alliance of Specialty
Medicine Day in New York City. The proclamation recognized
the essential services specialty physicians provide, including:
disaster relief services, care for the uninsured and under-insured,
and medical research. Council members also thanked the Alliance
for its ongoing efforts to ensure patients have access to
high-quality specialty care.
Republicans
Announce Health Care Platform
On the opening night of the Republican National Convention,
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., presented the
party’s platform, which was adopted by convention delegates.
The platform, a 93-page document entitled “A Safer World,
A More Hopeful America,” calls for a shift from a government-supported
health care system to a market-based system and emphasizes
consumer choice and responsibility. This approach differs
starkly from the Democratic ideology, which promotes traditional
employer-based health insurance and government programs. The
Republican platform also affirms President Bush’s position
on stem-cell research, which supports federal funding for
research involving adult stem cells. Democratic presidential
nominee John Kerry supports expanding the current policy to
include funding for embryonic stem cell research.
ACC
Testifies on Post-Market Surveillance of Pediatric Medical
Devices
ACC member Mark Boucek, M.D., F.A.C.C, presented testimony
to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) outlining recommendations
for post-market surveillance of pediatric medical devices.
The ACC supports careful monitoring of patient outcomes in
pediatric populations and suggested that the IOM panel explore
a registry system similar to the College’s National
Cardiovascular Data Registry to collect pediatric outcomes
data. Panel members expressed concern about undocumented use
of pediatric medical devices and discussed ways to meet new
regulatory requirements while allowing for product development
or expanded indications for pediatric patients. The ACC shared
its past work on this issue with the panel, highlighting discussions
from a February 2004 post-market
surveillance workshop sponsored by the College and the
Duke Clinical Research Institute.
FDA
Approves Carotid Stent System
Federal regulators recently approved Guidant Corp.’s
RX Acculink carotid stent system, marking the first time this
type of stroke prevention device has been approved for use
in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
estimates that about 200,000 surgeries are performed each
year to remove blockages affecting the carotid artery and
Guidant’s device will be used in cases where the artery
is more than 80 percent blocked. Guidant will provide extensive
training to doctors through the use of simulators and will
roll out their training program in 20 hospitals this fall.
The
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced
that it will expand coverage of carotid stenting for Medicare
beneficiaries who participate in FDA-mandated post-approval
studies. The Medicare national noncoverage policy remains
in effect unless covered under the post-approval studies or
as part of a clinical trial. However, CMS is evaluating the
coverage request for expansion of percutaneous transluminal
angioplasty of the carotid artery concurrent with stent placement
for patients at high risk for carotid endarterectomy. The
ACC, along with the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography
and the Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology, is actively
working for the reversal of this national noncoverage policy.
Click here
for ACC’s testimony presented to CMS in August. The
coverage decision is expected in early 2005.
Court
Upholds Class-Action Status for Physicians’ Lawsuit
Last week, an appeals court ruled in favor of 600,000 physicians
who are suing six of the largest health insurers in the United
States for wrongfully delaying or denying physician reimbursement
for necessary procedures. The insurers appealed the class-action
status of the lawsuit, arguing that the claims should be handled
on a case-by-case basis. The three-judge panel disagreed with
this assessment and stated, “It is ridiculous to expect
600,000 doctors across the nation to repeatedly prove these
complicated and overwhelming facts.” The court’s
ruling allows the case to move forward and plaintiffs’
lawyers expect the trial to proceed on March 6, 2005. Humana
Health Plan, PacifiCare Health Systems, Prudential Insurance,
UnitedHealthCare, WellPoint Health Networks and Health Net
are the six defendants. Aetna and CIGNA, which were also named
in the lawsuit, have settled with the physicians for $120
million and $85 million respectively. (New York Times,
9/2)
Technology
and its Impact on Your Practice: Register Now for ACC/MGMA
Audio Conference on Technology Utilization
Electronic medical records, online billing systems, and even
patient consultations by e-mail are changing the practice
environment for many physicians. In order to help cardiologists
adapt to these changes, the ACC and the Medical Group Management
Association (MGMA) will hold their third joint audio conference
entitled “Using the Internet in Your Practice for Improved
Performance, Productivity, and Patient Satisfaction,”
on Sept. 16 from 2-3:30 p.m. EDT. The program highlights technology
solutions available for physician practices and provides recommendations
for technology utilization to improve workflow and manage
information. ACC members receive a reduced rate for this conference
and CME credits are available. Click
here to register for this program.
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.
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American College of Cardiology
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