Contact: Amy Murphy, amurphy@acc.org, 202-375-6476

Washington, D.C. – The American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) CEO, Jack Lewin, M.D., today released the following statement following the testimony on “Health Reform in the 21st Century” from Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to the House Committee on Ways and Means:

“Secretary Sebelius’ testimony today is consistent with the bipartisan thinking on reforming the nation’s health care system and what we heard at the White House Summit on Health Care Reform.

“Leaders in both parties and the health care community agree: The American health care system needs to change. What we heard from Secretary Sebelius and committee members is that change needs to come sooner rather than later. The ACC has long advocated for several of the reforms Secretary Sebelius testified about today including payment reforms and the development of a health information technology infrastructure.

“Making physician reimbursement focus on quality outcomes rather than the process is essential for physicians delivering quality health care and improving the health of their patients. Study after study has shown that our current payment system rewards ineffective health care, and the lack of an interoperable health information system only increases the wasteful spending of our nation’s limited health care dollars.

“The ACC has long said that cost should be the driver, not the barrier to reform. There were a lot of good ideas from members of both sides today, all of which have merit. Together with input from physicians and patient advocate groups, we can work with Congress to come up with common sense solutions that help lower cost, both to patients and ultimately taxpayers, while improving quality outcomes.

“With 43 percent of all Medicare dollars spent fighting heart disease – our nation’s leading killer – it is clear that cardiologists will play a vital role in reforming our health care system. President Obama has shown that health system reform is a priority for his administration. We are happy to take part in that conversation and look forward to working with Secretary Sebelius further on the reforms needed to improve our country’s health care.”

Interview requests for Jack Lewin can be made by contacting either Amy Murphy or Larry Farnsworth.

 ###

The American College of Cardiology is leading the way to optimal cardiovascular care and disease prevention. The College is a 36,000-member nonprofit medical society and bestows the credential Fellow of the American College of Cardiology upon physicians who meet its stringent qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care. More information about the association is available online at www.acc.org .

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) provides these news reports of clinical studies published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology as a service to physicians, the media, the public and other interested parties. However, statements or opinions expressed in these reports reflect the view of the author(s) and do not represent official policy of the ACC unless stated so.

< Back to Listings