Contact: Katharine Glenn, kglenn@acc.org, 202-375-6472

WASHINGTON (October 31, 2014) —American College of Cardiology (ACC) President, Patrick O’Gara, M.D., FACC, made the following statement after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final physician payment rule today:
 
“This year’s rule highlights the continued implementation of quality reporting and value programs in Medicare. As the ACC already encourages physician quality reporting through our registries, we are pleased to see our input on these programs taken seriously,” said ACC President Patrick O’Gara, M.D., FACC. “However, while cardiologists will see modest payment increases for selected services, the annual threat of significant reductions in reimbursement due to the SGR formula creates an unsustainable path for physicians to provide quality care to patients and accentuates the need for a definitive solution. CMS and Congress must work with medical providers to ensure that high value care is accessible for all services.”

The American College of Cardiology is a 47,000-member medical society that is the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team. The mission of the College is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College operates national registries to measure and improve care, provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet stringent qualifications. For more information, visit cardiosource.org/ACC.

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