The President’s Speech on Health Care Reform

“…The heart of my plan is simple: bring stability and security to Americans who already have health insurance, guarantee affordable coverage for those who don't, and rein in the cost of health care…I offered a specific plan for how to make it happen. I incorporated the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans to create a plan that's bold, practical, and represents the broad consensus of the American people…We've come closer to real health reform in the last few months than we have in the last 60 years. But those who profit from the status quo – and those who put partisan advantage above all else – will fight us every inch of the way…We do not seek that fight, but we will not shrink from it. The stakes are too high to let scare tactics cloud the debate, or to allow partisan bickering to block the path. Your voice, right now, is essential… Ours is not the first generation to understand the dire need for health reform. And I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last…The time for bickering is over…the time for games has passed. Now is the season for action.”— President Barak Obama, Sept. 9, 2009

President Obama on Wednesday addressed Congress with a plan for health care reform that would cost $900 billion over 10 years and address rising costs, access to care issues and professional liability. His plan outlined three essential goals for health care reform:

1. Ensuring the current system remains secure and stable for those who already have insurance coverage and are happy with it;
2. Making insurance coverage affordable and accessible to those who need it; and
3. Reducing unnecessary costs and waste in the current system. The resident acknowledged that medical liability reform is needed to bring down the cost of health care related to defensive medicine.

Obama promised that the plan would be budget neutral and said the savings would result from eliminating waste and abuse within the existing health care system, as well as reducing payments to Medicare Advantage plans. Another form of financing would be a fee for insurance companies’ highest cost plans to “encourage them to provide greater value for the money.” Obama also addressed medical malpractice. He said, “I am proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctors focus on practicing medicine.” He proposed authorizing the Health and Human Services secretary to test potential solutions as demonstration projects in states. The New York Times has the of President Obama’s speech http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/us/politics/10obama.text.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&ref=politics.

The ACC Role:

The ACC is ready to be accountable and to lead in the process of health care reform. Our goal: to maintain the viability of cardiology practices and the sanctity of the physician patient relationship. The College is working across multiple areas to ensure appropriate use of diagnostic equipment; promote adherence to clinical guidelines and appropriate use criteria; improve care coordination through the use of clinical registries; and reduce hospital readmissions and geographic variations in care. The ACC stands ready to support efforts to introduce real health care reform that:

• Ensures access to affordable health care for all Americans;
• Includes delivery and payment system reforms that provide incentives for improvement of quality and outcomes;
• Repeals the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula used to calculate Medicare physician payment;
• Emphasizes professionalism and patient-centered care;
• Improves care coordination across sources and sites through interoperable health information technology;
• Implements medical liability reforms that reduce legal and defensive medicine costs; and
• Promotes comparative effectiveness research to better inform guidelines, performance measures and appropriate use criteria.

The College looks forward to working with President Obama and other key stakeholders to develop a health care system that puts patients first and rewards – not penalizes – physicians and other medical professionals for their commitment to quality and evidence-based care.

Unfortunately … the proposed payment cuts in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule threaten the College’s ability to effectively participate in health care reform efforts. We need to bring that message to Capitol Hill during the Legislative Conference.

The proposed CMS cuts threaten practice viability and patient access to quality cardiovascular care. They underscore the need for overarching health reform that focuses on both reducing costs and improving quality. The ACC firmly believes that carefully crafted partnerships are critical to enacting real reforms and expediting the progress needed.

In a few days, you will arrive in Washington, D.C., to participate in ACC’s largest Legislative Conference ever. With more than 350 participants, the voice of the cardiology community is sure to be heard on Capitol Hill. We have a historic opportunity to implement needed reform that improves the health care delivery system for patients and the physicians who care for them.  The draft Legislative Conference agenda can be found here: http://www.acc.org/advocacy/leg_conf_09/pdfs/2009Leg_Conference_Agenda_DRAFT.pdf

 "What we face…is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country."  Senator Ted Kennedy