The COVID-19 pandemic has placed enormous stress on the health care system, forcing many practices to temporarily close or operate with reduced patient volume. Now more than ever, it is essential to ensure patients have access to cardiovascular care during and after the public health emergency by promoting the financial stability of practices and other health care institutions. If the proposed cuts contained in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule were to go into effect, necessary payment increases for certain services would be offset by decreases in other services, and patient access to care would be drastically diminished at a particularly difficult time.

Last week, the College sent letters to Capitol Hill, thanking Reps. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill) for introducing H.R.8505, legislation that would waive budget neutrality requirements under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for one year. The College also thanked Reps. Ami Bera (D-CA) and Larry Bucshon (R-IN) for sending a joint letter to House Leadership, along with 227 of their House colleagues, urging them to identify bipartisan solutions and quickly pass legislation to address these steep cuts.

The College continues to work closely with Congress to identify and develop bipartisan policy solutions to include in upcoming legislation moving through the House of Representatives.

Keywords: ACC Advocacy, COVID-19, Coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Public Health, Fee Schedules

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