CMS Cuts Update - 11/20/09
I wanted to give you a quick update on what the ACC has been doing within the last week to stop the CMS cuts and protect your practice viability and your patients' access to quality cardiovascular services.
ACC CEO, Jack Lewin, and ACC Vice President for Advocacy, Jim Fasules, met with Office of Budget and Management officials this week to discuss the impact of the cardiology cuts on Medicare Part B costs. The OMB and Budget Director, Peter Orzag, are now aware of the "double whammy" consequences of the cuts: decreased access and increased Part B costs and increased Medicare premiums. Jack Lewin also met with White House Health Reform Czar, Nancy Ann Deparle, late last week. She stated that our concerns are now on the White House radar. He also met with Secretary Sebelius' top policy official. This official confirmed that our message is coming across loud and clear and that HHS is starting to worry about the potential increase in Part B costs. Jack has meetings set up next week with members of MEDPAC and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. He is also meeting with CMS later this week to discuss the regulatory error involving the nuclear cuts.
Locally, OR ACC Councilors Ty Gluckman and Aly Rahimtoola and Governor-elect Sandy Lewis met with Representative Greg Walden. Similar to administration officials, Representative Walden expressed concern over the "double whammy". This confirms that the ACC approach is gaining traction throughout Congress and the Administration.
The ACC is close to completing legislation to put a moratorium on the cuts and the use of the faulty PPIS data. Several top tier legislators have indicated a willingness to sponsor the legislation. They have requested specific cost information from the ACC reflecting the seriousness of their intentions. These individuals have not been identified publicly, so that groups who oppose us do not make "refutation" visits to these same lawmakers and undermine our support. We anticipate that we will have legislation ready to introduce as early as next week.
The ACC is also refocusing its communication efforts with its members. In the next week the ACC website will have a new look and will be centered on its advocacy efforts and what members can do to help. There will be new easier links to the PAC site and advocacy tools to engage members and patients. There will also be links to other ACC supported initiatives such as the Cardiology Advocacy Alliance and the patient centered web site Guarding Hearts Alliance. The ACC is also offering a new online chapter grassroots tool to help chapters reach their members and allow them to take action. This new tool is called Capwiz, and it is quite simply the most advanced and effective grassroots communications tool on the market today. Underscoring the importance of grassroots advocacy the ACC is providing the Chapters with their own Capwiz webpage at no cost. See ACC's page at www.capwiz.com/acc. The Oregon Chapter's Capwiz page will be online next week.
The Communications staff is also developing a multi-dimensional communications plan to make this critical effort successful. We need real practice data on how the cuts will affect care and services. We have already collected data from several thousand practices. Not only do you need to assess the impacts in order to know how best to plan for the coming year in terms of staffing, negotiating with health plans and meeting the needs of your patients, but you also need this information for your members of Congress. We now need to prove to Congress and to CMS that these cuts will in fact impact access to care. We're asking everyone to take advantage of ACC's practice expense calculator to gauge the initial impacts. From there, you are strongly encouraged to send these results to advocate@acc.org, where ACC's media and grassroots team stand ready to help you use these results in messages to Congress, to patients and to your local media. If you know how these cuts will impact your staffing and patient send these anecdotes to Saiza Elayda at selayda@acc.org These will be included in the PINNACLE Network Practice Survival Toolkit. This toolkit will be published online in the very near future.
The legal efforts continue to be pursued on a parallel course. The ACC and several subspecialty societies through the Cardiology Advocacy Alliance are meeting with outside counsel to develop an injunction should our legislative and regulatory efforts fail. The estimated cost of this effort is 200K.
We're going to need a rapid response, unlike anything we've done before. Every cardiovascular professional in the U.S. must get personally involved in the fight to protect patient access. Here is what you can do with the resources currently available and the new website and the Practice Survival Toolkit coming soon! Take action today.
· Get up to date on what's included in the final rule. Slides from ACC's Nov. 12 all-member call about the rule and its impacts are available.
· Read an overview of the rule.
· Assess the basic impacts of the cuts by using ACC's practice expense calculator. You can also get specifics on new coding changes, as well as answers to frequently asked questions, on the practice management section of ACC's Web site.
· Spread the message within your community and with your elected officials about the specific impacts of these cuts on your practice and your patients. Send a letter to your members of Congress asking them to stop the cuts. For help with letters to the editor or op-eds in your local paper, contact ACC's media relations team at advocate@acc.org.
· Get your patients involved Guarding Hearts Alliance: http://www.guardingheartsalliance.org The website is administered through the Cardiology Advocacy Alliance and can be used to educate cardiac patients about the facts of health care reform and Medicare regulations.
· Donate to the Political Action Committee (ACCPAC) now. The College needs funding for these multifaceted advocacy efforts. Help ensure the voice of cardiology is heard on Capitol Hill. The state of Oregon allows tax credits of $50 per individual and $100 per couple for PAC contributions. Donating $100 is essentially a wash. I think everyone is capable of contributing at least $100, but given the cost of our fight, I would encourage you to join me in donating $1000. Use the website to make your contribution today www.accpacweb.org
Mike
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2010 Oregon Cardiovascular Symposium
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