Dear Colleagues, As I’m sure you have seen and heard by now, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released their proposed Physician Fee Schedule. The bottom line: These proposed payment cuts are detrimental to cardiovascular practices and the quality care and necessary access we need to offer our patients. Overall the proposed changes would result in an 11% Medicare payment decrease for cardiology. This includes many proposals to cut payment for cardiovascular services, including: a 42% cut in transthoracic echo with Doppler, a 24% cut in left heart catheterization, and a 21% cut in EKG payments. If the proposed 21.5% slash in the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula also continues, the total Medicare payment decrease to cardiology will be greater than 30%. The bulk of the decreases will affect office based practices. In fact, if the proposed cuts are enacted, office based cardiology practices will cease to exist. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW   The ACC and the Illinois Chapter ask you to contact your lawmakers today. Tell them to contact CMS and to urge the agency to stop the proposed payment cuts. The ACC has created resources on its CardioAdvocacy Network (CAN) to help you when contacting your lawmakers. These resources include: Additional detailed information on the proposed payment policy cuts by CMS Talking points for physicians to use when discussing this issue with members of Congress and patients Patient flyers Sample letters on payment reform you can use to explain to patients how these cuts will impact patients while encouraging them to contact their lawmakers Action alert tools, including this link, that allow you to contact your lawmakers accurately and efficiently You can find the above information and more to help you and your patients take action today to prevent these devastating cuts by clicking here: www.acc.org/can. In addition, you can use the ACC’s toll-free grassroots hotline where you can enter your zip code and be directly connected to your legislators’ offices. The number is: 1-800-210-7193 Lastly, use the ACC grassroots e-mail system to contact your lawmakers directly through the ACC CAN. Simply visit www.acc.org/can or click here. CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKERS TODAY BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE! For questions, please contact advocacydiv@acc.org or contact Molly Nichelson (mnichels@acc.org). Additional tools will be arriving from the ACC in the coming weeks. Comments can be sent to CMS via this link. The proposed rule is subject to revision following a period of public comment through August 31. Don’t hesitate — ACT TODAY and send your comments to CMS opposing these cuts! NCHC Forum Back to Top The National Coalition on Health Care’s (NCHC) Forum will be held in Chicago on July 24, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Attend and voice your opinion! The National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC) is co-hosting a health care forum with the Midwest Business Group on Health. There is no cost to attend this forum. This is an excellent opportunity for you and your practice to express your concerns, especially given the CMS proposed rule that affects cardiology with devastating cuts. Here are the details for this meeting: When: July 24--8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Where: The Mid-America Club (in the AON Center), Ballroom Address: 200 East Randolph Drive, 80th Floor, Chicago, IL Registration Opens at 8:00 a.m. RSVP: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY History on the NCHC: NCHC was founded in 1990. It is the nation’s largest and most broadly representative alliance of organizations working for system-wide health care reform. Its 78 member organizations include major businesses and business associations, unions, medical societies, health and pension funds, insurers, faith organizations, patient advocacy and medical research groups, and higher education councils. Its honorary co-chairs are former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. Together, the organizations that belong to the Coalition represent, as employees, volunteers, members, and congregants, more than 150 million Americans. For more information visit www.nchc.org. Best regards, Jerome Hines, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.C. Governor, Illinois Chapter of the ACC