ACC Calls Members to Action, Stop Cuts

December 4, 2007 – American College of Cardiology CEO Jack Lewin has urged ACC members this week to let "their members of Congress know how bad things are getting” in regards to Medicare cuts.

The Senate Finance Committee will be introducing a package for Medicare physician payment cuts. In the “Lewin Report Blog,” Lewin warns that the ACC’s imaging accreditation and appropriateness criteria pilot may be included in this package.

“Congress will let the cuts go through, and come back to fix them in February or March,” said Lewin. “Congress is banking on the assumption that the cuts won’t cause physicians to change their practices and limit Medicare patients.”

Lewin suggests that funding for reversing these cuts may come from “Medicare Advantage insurance payments, which are 12 – 18 percent above regular Medicare.”

In any case, Lewin urges ACC member to contact Congressman, noting, “No matter how they fund reversing the cuts, we need to get the calls going this week.”

For more information: www.acc.org or www.lewinreport.acc.org