Campaign for Patient Access
Policy debates about Medicare payment often rely on percentages, budget projections, and technical language. Those details matter, but they can make the…
A national public affairs campaign launched by the American College of Cardiology in December 2009 to oppose Medicare physician fee schedule cuts affecting cardiology patients and practices.
About the Campaign
The Campaign for Patient Access was launched by the American College of Cardiology in December 2009 as a national effort to reverse Medicare physician fee schedule cuts that threatened cardiovascular care. The site provided background on the issue, the ACC's legislative and legal response, resources for patients and practices, a newsroom tracking coverage across the country, and ways for supporters to share their stories and support the campaign.
From the Newsroom
April 30, 2010
Medicare Meltdown: Access to Health Care in "Critical Condition"
A press release warning that cardiology access was in critical condition due to Medicare payment cuts.
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December 29, 2009
Cardiology Takes Legal Action Against Medicare
The ACC filed suit against HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius over the 2010 Physician Fee Schedule.
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January 12, 2010
ACC Statement on Health Care Reform
The ACC used the State of the Union address to highlight the need to reverse the Medicare cuts.
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April 12, 2010
Medicare Patients and Physicians Join Petition Drive
Patients and physicians in Washington, DC joined a petition drive calling on Congress for Medicare reform.
Read moreGuides
Cardiac electrophysiology is a highly specialized field focused on the electrical system of the heart. Electrophysiologists diagnose and treat arrhythmias such…
Local news coverage can turn a complicated Medicare payment policy into a public conversation about whether patients can receive timely heart care. When…
Medicare physician fee schedule cuts can appear to be a technical issue buried in payment formulas, annual rulemaking, and budget negotiations. For patients,…
Cardiology depends on a steady pipeline of physicians who can diagnose, treat, and prevent heart disease across every stage of life. That pipeline begins with…
For people with advanced heart failure, a heart transplant evaluation can determine whether they receive specialized treatment in time. The process involves…
An effective op-ed about cardiology access should make a policy dispute understandable, urgent, and personal. Readers may not know how Medicare physician…
Medicare payment policy has changed repeatedly since the program began in 1965. Each reform attempted to address a different concern: rising federal spending,…
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the largest causes of illness, disability, and death in the United States. Its effects reach across every stage of life,…
Medicare physician payment policy affects more than the amount a cardiologist receives for an office visit or procedure. Reductions in the Medicare Physician…
