Campaign for Patient Access
Australia has long prided itself on a universal healthcare system that promises a fair go for patients facing serious illness. Yet the country's most…
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
Across Australia, cardiac surgery units are quietly absorbing the shock of shrinking reimbursement rates. From major metropolitan hospitals in Sydney and…
When a patient is admitted with chest pain, atrial fibrillation, or suspected heart failure, the speed and quality of a cardiology consultation can change the…
A well-run community forum can turn concern about heart care into practical local action. It gives patients, carers, clinicians, policymakers and community…
When cardiology reimbursement rates are slashed, the consequences rarely stay confined to billing departments. Patients wait longer for appointments, smaller…
Noninvasive cardiac imaging helps clinicians investigate heart disease without surgery or catheter-based procedures. Echocardiograms, stress tests, cardiac CT,…
The Campaign for Patient Access has long recognised that policy decisions about physician payments rarely feel real until a patient puts a face to the numbers.…
For Sarah, a 54-year-old teacher living in Melbourne's inner suburbs, the journey toward a heart transplant has been marked by uncertainty, resilience, and…
Multidisciplinary heart valve clinics bring cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals into a…
Cardiology sits at a crossroads in Australian healthcare. The specialty is increasingly essential as the population ages and conditions such as heart failure,…
