Contact: Katie Glenn, kglenn@acc.org,

WASHINGTON (Dec 07, 2021) -

American College of Cardiology President Dipti Itchhaporia, MD, FACC, made the following statement on the House of Representatives' passage of legislation to avert significant Medicare cuts:

"In the nearly two years of fighting an unprecedented global pandemic, access to care remains of critical importance to cardiovascular disease patients who are also at increased risk from COVID-19. The American College of Cardiology is thankful to see the House of Representatives pass legislation which will mitigate and delay the series of devastating payment cuts for vital Medicare services set to take effect on January 1. There is no more important time for Medicare stability than now with the ongoing public health emergency when uninterrupted care is needed the most. This legislation will provide a short-term reprieve, so it remains essential that the entire House of Medicine work with Congress to find long-term solutions to address the flawed Medicare payment system and build the strong, sustainable program our patients need. The ACC is ready to partner with Congress on this critical goal. Now, we ask the Senate to act quickly to forestall these looming, harmful cuts. Stopping these cuts now will go a long way to ensure clinicians are able to continue providing the care their patients deserve throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond."

The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its 54,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.

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