The Issue
What the ACC Is Doing
The ACC is exploring all legislative, regulatory and legal options.
Legislative
Turn back this bad government policy by building on the goodwill and support created by ACC member efforts to date, while minimizing opposition. The ACC is working with Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas) to introduce legislation that would hold cardiology at current 2009 practice expense values, while allowing other specialty practices to operate at 2010 physician practice information survey (PPIS) values.
View related documents (PDF):
- ACC Health Reform Ad Focuses on Patient Access
- Requesting Original Cosponsors for this bill
- Joint Letter to the Hill
- Bill Text: H.R. 4371
- Open Letter to Pres. Obama, Congress
- Sen. Landrieu Urges Sen. Reid to Consider Impact of Cuts
Regulatory
The ACC has made a specific request to CMS to phase in the 36 percent cut to nuclear imaging, which will help mitigate the damage of this cut.
Legal
The ACC's legal strategy has been running in parallel to its regulatory and legislative actions. After exhausting all immediate regulatory and legislative options – and with no final action by Congress or CMS to stop the cuts prior to the Jan. 1, 2010 deadline – the College on Dec. 28 filed a complaint, as well as motions for a preliminary injunction and expedited discovery, against Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in U.S. District Court in Florida.
