Senate
Health Reform Update The
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee last
week released a draft health reform bill that includes an
individual mandate and a public health insurance option. The
bill includes a more than $1,000 fine for individuals who
do not purchase health insurance, as well as a $750-per-employee
annual fee on companies that do not provide health care benefits,
to raise funds to cover the costs of the bill. The Congressional
Budget Office estimates that the fines will raise about $36
billion over 10 years. The bill also would include a public,
government-run insurance plan. The bill is estimated to cost
$611 billion over 10 years, according to Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.),
the bill’s author. Dodd said he hoped the bill would
be complete next week. More coverage is available from USA
Today.
In related
news, the Senate Finance Committee on July 6 announced a timeline
for consideration of its health reform package, although they
warned that the timeline could slip by at least a week. Senate
leadership said that it would like to consider a health reform
bill on the full floor by the week of July 20, with action
that week and the week of July 27.
REGULATORY
CMS
Releases Proposed 2010 Physician Payment Rule The
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) dropped a
bomb last week with the release of its 2010 proposed Medicare
physician payment rule, which would slash payments for cardiovascular-related
services. CMS projects that the proposed changes would reduce
total Medicare payments to cardiology by 11 percent. The projected
payment cut would result from changes to the following areas:
practice expense calculation; equipment utilization rates;
malpractice rate calculation; and payment for consultations.
In addition, CMS proposes a 21.5 percent reduction in the
Medicare conversion factor due to the flawed SGR formula.
In short, practices could face cuts ranging from 20-40 percent.
The ACC
is launching a comprehensive campaign to fight these cuts.
You can get involved in several ways. First, take part in
a video campaign that can be shared with members of Congress,
regulatory officials and the public. Upload a 30-40 second
video about the impacts of large-scale cuts on your ability
to provide patients with the right care at the right time.
You can post your video on YouTube
or email Molly Nichelson at mnichels@acc.org
to have it posted for you. Don’t own a video camera?
Submit your story via the ACC’s online forum, The
Lewin Report. Or, contact your lawmakers through
the ACC’s toll-free grassroots hotline (800-210-7193)
and online action center (www.acc.org/can).
For questions, contact advocacydiv@acc.org.
ACC
Comments on Meaningful Use Draft Definition
The ACC recently commented on the draft definition of “meaningful
use” of health information technology (IT), to be used
to determine qualification for payment incentives under the
federal
electronic health record incentive program scheduled to
begin in 2011. According to the comments: “The ACC believes
meaningful use criteria should facilitate widespread adoption
while minimally disrupting physician practices.” The
College supports the “vision” of the draft definition
and matrix “but believe that the timeline is too ambitious.”
It continues, “Current health IT capabilities simply
are not adequate to meet these robust goals,” and articulates
ACC’s support for a staged approach to defining meaningful
use. Read
the letter in full.
ACC
Comments on Proposed Inpatient Payment Rule The
ACC recently offered comments on the proposed Hospital Inpatient
Prospective Payment System, published in the Federal Register
on May 22. The comments focus on the quality measures that
hospitals report on as part of the Reporting of Hospital Quality
Data for Annual Payment Update program and other issues related
to the quality of care provided to hospitalized patients.
The full letter is available online.
FDA
Approves Heart Rhythm Drug The
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Multaq, or
dronedarone, for use in patients with atrial fibrillation
or atrial flutter. The drug, manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis
SA, was previously rejected by the FDA for treatment in those
with more several heart problems due to an increased risk
of death. However, the drug, recommended as an alternative
treatment for amiodarone, will carry a black-box warning because
of the serious side effects it can cause, including death,
in those who have recently suffered severe heart failure.
The FDA has more
information.
QUALITY
ACC
Questions the President on Quality President
Obama last week held an online town hall on health care reform.
For the town hall, Pres. Obama took submissions from all over
America for the most common questions about health care reform.
The ACC submitted this question: "In your video introduction,
Pres. Obama, you discuss the importance of lowering costs.
Ironically, the best quality care in this country also is
often the most efficient and cost-effective care. Therefore,
what are the administration's plans to ensure that incentives
to improve quality are prominently embedded in these efforts?"
The College also responded to the town hall in a short video.
Check
out the video and leave a comment about what question
you would have asked the president..
