VCACC Support the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

VCACC has signed on as supporters of federal legislation H.R. 1108/S. 625, the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act." This legislation, which the ACC has long supported through work with the Partners for Effective Tobacco Policy (PARTNERS), would give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate the manufacture, distribution, sale, labeling, advertising and promotion of tobacco products to protect the public health.

The legislation has moved further in this Congress than in the past and the goal is to achieve enactment this year. It has 55 Senate cosponsors and was approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee last summer. It has 218 House cosponsors and is expected to be marked up by the House Energy and Commerce Committee this spring. It is sponsored by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John Cornyn (R-TX), and Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Tom Davis (R-VA).

The legislation has a broad base of support from the patient and health professions community working to promote it. With the legislation moving closer to passage, the involvement of more supporters- including ACC chapters- can make a big difference.

Help make sure that cardiologists can provide the best care for their members. Get involved with the VCACC.

American College of Cardiology

Congress Approves Short-Term Medicare Physician Payment Update

(Update December 19)

The Senate voted Tuesday and the House Wednesday to approve a six month Medicare physician payment update and extension of incentive funds for the Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). The legislation does not include imaging cuts or policy. President Bush is expected to sign it into law.

The "Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007" (S. 2499) replaces the scheduled 10 percent cut with a .5 percent update from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2008.

Thanks to VCACC members who relentlessly contacted their elected officials. This is only a six-month fix however, so there will be work by each VCACC member to do in 2008 to ensure the cut does not go into effect on July 1 and also that elected officials focus on a long-term fix to the SGR.