In This Issue:
 Help Michigan Go Smokefree
Michigan Chapter Goes to Washington
Tell Congress to Stop Medicare Cuts
D2B Sprints to Finish
Chapter Conference Draws Kudos
Chapter Sponsors Cardiology Courses at MSMS Sessions
Watch for Ballot
An Unpopular Truth
Cardiovascular Nursing Symposium - March 3
Help Michigan Go Smokefree
On November 8th Michigan’s House of Representatives took up legislation that would make workplaces, including bars and restaurants, smokefree (HB4163). A number of amendments were offered -- to exclude bars, to allow a business to apply/pay for a permit that allows it to be a smoking establishment, etc. Fortunately, all of the amendments were defeated. Unfortunately, the legislature adjourned for the day before a final vote on the bill.
It is crucial that we sustain our momentum and keep this issue on the minds of lawmakers. It is still possible that a vote may take place before the end of the year.
Please call your Representative! Here’s how:
1. Click here to find your Representative and his/her phone number.
2. Call his/her office.
3. Tell whoever answers that:
*You are a constituent.
*You urge a YES vote on HB4163 and a NO on any amendments.
Leave a message if you do not connect to a live person.
Thank you for taking these quick steps toward a healthier Michigan!
Also in the legislative news…..
Michigan’s budget woes are big news, but did you know that the Healthy Michigan Fund – a pocket of funding for screening and prevention programs – was almost obliterated? In the final budget the Healthy Michigan Fund, including tobacco and CVD prevention, was restored to last year’s level.
Chapter Leaders Go to Washington
Michigan was well represented at ACC’s Legislative Conference in September. Pictured outside the capitol building are (left to right) Pediatric Cardiology Fellow Ashraf Harahsheh, MD; Chapter President-elect Hank Rosman, MD; ACC President-elect Douglas Weaver, MD; Cardiac Care Associate Liaison Janet Wyman, MSN, APRN-BC; and Chapter Executive Alice Betz. Chapter President Stuart Winston, DO also attended but is not pictured. They joined more than 250 attendees from 49 states and Puerto Rico who went "to the hill” with the College's issues.
In meetings with Rep. Timothy Walberg and aides for Rep. Dave Camp, Rep. John Dingell, Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, Rep. Joe Knollenberg, Rep. Sander Levin, Sen. Carl Levin and Sen. Debbie Stabenow Chapter leaders advocated for:
*Action by Congress to prevent the 10% Medicare physician payments cuts.
*Replacement of the SGR with a payment formula that takes into account increases in physician practice costs and appropriate growth of services.
*Continuation of funding for incentive payments for PQRI and commitment of resources for the development and integration of tools, such as data registries.
*Support for S1338/HR1293 Access to Medicare Imaging Act of 2007 that would place a two year moratorium on the DRA cuts to imaging payments.
Despite some trepidation about face-to-face meetings with legislators, the Michigan contingent agreed that the experience was definitely worthwhile. ACC members can multiply the impact of these visits by contacting their legislators -- see "Call to Action" at top right.
Chapter Conference Draws Kudos
“Best Michigan ACC conference I have been to,” was typical of comments on evaluations for the Chapter’s Annual Conference in October. “I’m pleased that our program was so well received,” said Conference Chair Brad Hubbard, “I congratulate our speakers for presenting cardiology’s “hot topics” in a concise and engaging fashion.”
Congratulations are also in order for the winners of the case and poster competitions. They are:
Fellows Oral Case Competition
1st prize - Renuka Jain, MD University of Michigan
2nd prize - Manreet Kanwar, MD St. John Hospital and Medical Center
Fellows Poster Competition
1st prize - Ashraf Harahsheh, MD Children's Hospital of Michigan
2nd prize* - Rabeea Aboufakher, MD St. John Hospital and Medical Center
2nd prize* - Roshankumar Patel, MD Michigan State University
*tied for 2nd prize
CCA Poster Competition
1st prize - Cecelia Montoye, RN, MSN, CPHQ St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Ann Arbor
The Chapter will celebrate its 20th anniversary conference next year -- plan to be there!
September 26-28, 2008
Grand Traverse Resort
Chapter Sponsors Cardiology Courses at MSMS Sessions
For several years the Michigan Chapter has co-sponsored a cardiology course at the Michigan State Medical Society Annual Scientific Session. This year a Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) course was added. It was so popular that it may also become an annual offering.
The cardiology course, entitled The Evolution of Cardiology, was coordinated and chaired by Claire Duvernoy, MD. It included talks on valve disease guidelines by David Bach, MD, the COURAGE trial by Eric Bates, MD, ICD recalls by Darryl Ellmouchi, MD, and Cardiac CTA by Kavitha Chinnaiyan, MD.
Herbert Aronow, MD coordinated and chaired the PAD course presenting speakers Adam Greenbaum, MD on epidemiology, screening, diagnosis, and medical management of PAD, Mansoor Qureshi, MD on carotid artery stenosis, Robert Safian, MD on renal artery stenosis, and Tom Davis, MD on lower extremity PAD.
An Unpopular Truth
Stuart A. Winston, DO
Chapter President
If you are like me, you do not relish the idea of pleading with Congress to sustain Medicare payments every year. In a perfect world, we would be free to focus our attention on our patients and the latest in the science of cardiology.
Likewise, the American College of Cardiology does not relish the prospect of broaching the subject of a dues increase. College leaders with our encouragement and guidance continue to focus on our priorities: advocating for cardiologists in Congress and with insurance payers, improving cardiovascular care through quality projects such as D2B, and creating a national cardiovascular data registry that is unequalled in the field of medicine and may provide legislators and regulators the best models for ensuring quality and value in cardiovascular health care.
I know of no other time in recent history that our College has been so effectively engaged on all fronts.
Unpopular though it may be, the truth is that a dues increase is necessary to fund these “supports” for cardiologists and our practices. Although not too great a comfort, this increase brings ACC dues in line with other professional societies’ assessments. I am happy to report that your Michigan Chapter dues will remain the same for 2008.
I thank you in advance for your continued support of our College and our Chapter.
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The CHAMP Act that the House considered earlier this year was to stop planned cuts in Medicare physician payments but included significant cuts to imaging. Now, as the Senate drafts its Medicare bill, our goal is to ensure that their legislation stops planned physician payment cuts AND that it NOT result in cuts in cardiovascular imaging.
If Congress does not act before the end of the year, physicians will receive a 10% cut in Medicare payments effective 1/1/08.
Let your legislators know that cuts will impact patient care.
Call ACC’s Advocacy Hotline: 800-210-7193
You will hear a briefing on the issue and automatically be connected with your legislators' office.
OR
Log on to ACC’s CardioAdvocacy Network: www.acc.org/can
You will find a template of a letter that you can personalize and automatically send to your legislator.
The D2B Alliance launched a year-end push to get all D2B hospitals to 100% implementation of the six evidence-based strategies to improve D2B times. Cheer your hospital and colleagues on! New resources include:
Mentor Network: To provide individualized assistance to project leads and champions, a number of mentors have been identified for each D2B strategy. To access the mentor network, login to D2Balliance.org using the login and password created when your hospital registered for D2B.
Targeted Webinars: A series of webinars on D2B strategies can be downloaded at www.d2balliance.org/webinars.
As reported in the last edition of E-News, the Chapter’s bylaws have been revised to restructure the governing council so that it better represents the house of cardiology in Michigan. According to the revised bylaws, Chapter members shall vote for the nominated councilors via a mail ballot. There shall be an option to write-in candidates where applicable.
The following members are eligible to vote and should watch for a ballot in the U.S. mail:
*Fellows, Associate Fellows, and Affiliates who have paid Chapter dues.
*Distinguished Fellows, Honorary Fellows, and Fellows Emeritus
The revised bylaws and an archive of E-News are posted on the Chapters website, www.accmi.org.
Take Heart
9th Annual
Cardiovascular Nursing Symposium
Monday, March 3, 2008
Washtenaw Community College
Program Highlights
Non-invasive Cardiac Imaging
Diabetes in the 21st Century
Designer Drugs
Co-sponsored by:
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
Michigan Chapter ACC
Registration: $50
Cardiac Care Associates Discount Registration: $35
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