Contact: Beth Casteel, bcasteel@acc.org, 202.375.6275

Washington, DC – American College of Cardiology CEO, Jack Lewin, MD, today made the following statement following the release of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC) sustainable growth rate (SGR) proposal to Congress:

“The American College of Cardiology (ACC) strongly opposes the MedPAC proposal as a solution to the flawed SGR physician payment formula.

“The proposal is not an acceptable or sustainable solution to the SGR and does nothing to promote quality or resource stewardship.

“Looming primary care shortages require focused solutions, we agree. But this proposal somewhat misaligns the interests of primary and specialty doctors, rather than focusing on incentives to work together to improve quality, efficiency, coordination of care, and outcomes.

“The SGR must be repealed, but we believe Congress should replace it with a payment system that promotes high quality, cost effective care.

“We urge Congress and CMS to look for a more viable solution to the SGR since if implemented, the proposal will cause some real problems by placing a major divide in medicine, hurting Medicare beneficiaries’ access to medical care, and inevitably leading to higher costs of care.”

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Interview requests for Dr. Jack Lewin can be made by contacting Beth Casteel or Shannon Cline.

View the joint comments submitted to MedPAC from 43 medical societies, including the ACC.

 

About the American College of Cardiology

The American College of Cardiology is transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health through continuous quality improvement, patient-centered care, payment innovation and professionalism. The College is a 39,000-member nonprofit medical society comprised of physicians, surgeons, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and practice managers, and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists 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.cardiosource.org/ACC.

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