Published on October 29, 2009 at 3:59 AM
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the Cardiology Advocacy Alliance (CAA) today announced a national advertising campaign imploring President Obama to halt Medicare regulations that will restrict patients' access to cardiac care.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which runs the Medicare program, is scheduled to release the final 2010 Physician Fee Schedule by November 1. If the regulations are implemented as proposed, cardiologists will see cuts of 27-40 percent or more beginning January 1 for common cardiac tests used to diagnose and treat heart disease. The cuts to cardiology are in addition to the 21.5 percent reduction all physicians face in 2010 due to the flawed Sustainable Growth rate formula, and will force practices nationwide to lay off staff, close offices and otherwise reduce access to lifesaving treatments.
In an open letter running in the nation's flagship newspapers October 29, the ACC and CAA call upon the President to intercede with CMS to prevent the cuts to cardiology. The ads will run in The Washington Post, USA Today, The New York Times, and the President's hometown newspaper, The Chicago Tribune.
SOURCE American College of Cardiology