ACC: MACRA Should Be Flexible and Support Evidence-Based Care

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

WASHINGTON (Apr 19, 2016) -

A statement from American College of Cardiology President Richard Chazal, M.D., FACC, on today's House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing on physician efforts to prepare for the new payment system under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, or MACRA:

"The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, or MACRA, is a major development in the future of healthcare delivery in the United States as clinicians move from volume to value-based payments. It is important that we get it right, and the American College of Cardiology is grateful that Congress is taking time to provide oversight while also hearing the perspective of clinicians," said American College of Cardiology President Richard Chazal, M.D., FACC.

"Since the passage of MACRA, the ACC has been engaged in conversations with the cardiovascular community as well as CMS about the intricacies of implementing this law – and those conversations have been positive and productive. As MACRA is implemented, the College encourages CMS to note that quality and value are not one-size-fits all concepts. Therefore, the new payment system must be streamlined and flexible to ensure that the system truly rewards clinicians across all specialties for their efforts to provide evidence-based care and seek innovative ways to manage costs without threatening patient outcomes."

The American College of Cardiology is a 52,000-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, offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions, provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet stringent qualifications. For more, visit acc.org.

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