Dear Colleague, I am writing to you about a critical development pertaining to cardiac CT that occurred silently two weeks ago as the medical community went into the holiday break. What happened? On Dec 13, 2007, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed NCD (National Coverage Determination) for Cardiac CTA coverage that is extremely restrictive and a ruling that is unprecedented in Cardiology. This will affect your patients and your practice. Please read this and respond by January 13. This is of vital importance. |
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| The proposed change would add two councilors from the South Suburban area of Chicago to the IL-ACC Board of Councilors. This area currently is under-represented. The Board also proposes adding an at-large seat to include someone in a management position from a practice. The electronic ballot box closes Jan. 21 so don’t delay in making your voice heard. Click here to review the by-laws change and cast your vote. | |
| Medicare Physician Payment Extension | |
The week before Christmas, Congress put a band aid on the Medicare Physician Payment by extending the current program until June 30, providing a 0.5 percent increase, and no further cuts to medical imaging. It also extended the Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative through 2008. It’s not fixed, but we got a reprieve. Read more details here from Dr. James Dove, ACC President. |
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| IL-ACC Practice Management Annual Meeting | |
Reminder: Mark your calendars for May 16 for the annual IL-ACC Practice Management Conference. It will be at the University Club on Monroe St. in Chicago. New this year will be Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits. Check the website often for details as they become available. Please make it a point to attend the conference. It is important to the health of the Chapter and we guarantee the day will be worth your while with ideas on helping manage your practice. Check the website for updates at www.ilacc.org |
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| ACC Scientific Session Coming to Chicago this March | |
The annual ACC Scientific Session is a great opportunity to showcase Chicago, especially if our members can provide a personal invite to the reception to friends and colleagues who matriculated through Illinois training programs. If you haven’t registered yet, see Dr. Dove’s note and register today. |
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| IL-ACC Annual Chapter Reception | |
Also put on your calendar the annual chapter reception at the ACC Scientific Session – Sunday, March 30. We plan to include an educational session for Fellows-In-Training. Please make a point of helping the Chapter show the ACC our commitment in Illinois to the practice of cardiology and to our IL-ACC Chapter. |
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| Chapter Dues – They’re Important to All of Us | |
| As you are likely well aware, we are in the annual dues renewal cycle for the ACC and for the Illinois Chapter. I can’t emphasize strongly enough how important it is to have a strong ACC and strong Chapter. In Washington, if you don’t have a place at the table, you will be on the menu. At the state level, your dues help keep us organized to speak with one clear voice and provide quality programming like the annual practice management conference, invest in our futures with programs for the Fellows-In-Training, and be among those shaping quality cardiology care in hospitals and private practices for tomorrow and beyond. Please don’t forget to check off your Illinois Chapter dues when you renew. | |
| Midwest Fellows Forum | |
Our work in engaging Fellows-In-Training through our Midwest Fellows Forum has drawn national attention from the ACC. Co-sponsored by the IL-ACC, the Midwest Affiliate of the AHA and the Chicago Cardiology Group, our last meeting in October drew a packed house of more than 100 at the Chicago Union League Club. No other state chapter has been this successful in engaging the FITs. Our very own Priya Kansal has been recruited to speak at the national ACC meeting about our success. Funding comes through our IL-ACC Foundation. The Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization and as such, contributions to it are tax deductible. Please consider making a donation to help support educational programming for FITs. Checks can be made to the Illinois ACC Foundation. You will receive a tax-deductible receipt. |
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| ACC Leadership Conference | |
Dr. Jerry Hines, our new President-Elect of the Illinois Chapter, and I will be joining ACC Chapter leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C., Jan. 25-27 at the annual ACC Leadership Conference. I’ll have much to report in our next newsletter on the direction of the national ACC and what we can do in Illinois to advance cardiology. |
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| Illinois STEMI Effort | |
| The IL-ACC is at the beginning stages of a STEMI project that intends to demonstrate the effectiveness of 12-lead diagnostic devices in Emergency Medical vehicles in helping save lives of heart attack victims. Other key partners in this effort are the Midwest Affiliate of the AHA and the U.S. Public Health Service region office in Chicago. Dr. James Galloway, Assistant Surgeon General for the U.S. Public Health Service and former ACC Governor from Arizona, has taken a leadership role in coordinating interested stakeholders. The IL-ACC is fully supportive and engaged in the effort and has begun planning for a statewide meeting on STEMI in the first half of the year. More details will be available shortly. | |
I hope all had a joyous and restful holiday season. I’m keeping my New Year’s resolution by staying in touch with chapter members through this monthly e-newsletter.
Diane Wallis, M.D., FACC |
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