Advocacy Update

Rebecca KellyACC Board of Governors

February 1, 2014

Objectives

• Priority initiatives for ACC Advocacy in 2014.

• Key issues in state legislative sessions.

• Action items.

Cornerstone of ACC Advocacy

• Governors and chapter execs represented one-quarter of 2013 Legislative Conference attendance.

• 100% PAC participation by governors and governors-elect.

• BOG is the barometer for local impact of national and state policy, alerting ACC to the need for urgent action.

Advocacy Strategic Goals

• Be a leading voice in shaping public policy at the federal and state level to achieve better care, better outcomes, and lower cost in the provision and improvement of high quality, cost-effective cardiovascular care for patients and populations.

• Expand the reach of ACC’s advocacy efforts, including an increased emphasis on state advocacy and payer relationships.

• Empower ACC members to become effective advocates for patients and cardiovascular

professionals.

2014 Priority Initiatives

SGR Repeal

• Repeal SGR and implement physician payment reform consistent with ACC principles.

• Prevent payment offsets harmful to Medicare patients and cardiovascular services in any and all settings.

Value Based Payment

• Advocate for consistent, evidence based quality measurement framework for CV care.

• Work with ACC chapters to implement ACC member collaboration with purchasers on alternative payment models.

• Shape the role for CV specialists in alternative payment models.

Medical malpractice reform

Focus on achievable, incremental progress in medical malpractice reform, including:•Safe harbors for clinical guideline use;•Improvements in expert witness laws.

Prevention

• Advocate for appropriate regulation of marketing and sale of tobacco related products (e.g., e-cigarettes).

• Continue push for adoption of newborn pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart disease at the state level.

• Promote adoption of ACC/AHA approach to prevention of sudden cardiac arrest in high school athletes.

Priority state policy issues for 2014 sessions

• Newborn pulse oximetry screening for CCHD screening adopted in 22 states. Focus in 2014 will be on states without a mandate.

• STEMI systems of care.• Sudden cardiac arrest prevention for

scholastic athletes.

Action Items

• Develop your chapter’s advocacy agenda.

• Hold a lobby day in your state capital.• Set up practice visits with federal and

state lawmakers.• Represent ACC and your chapter on

state health advisory boards and stakeholder coalitions.

Action Items

• Contact your member of Congress to urge continued progress on SGR repeal.

• Arrange in-district visits for week of February 17.