Jack Lewin’s blog post this week summarizes the current situation better than I could ever hope to do, but I want to reiterate that members of Congress are back in their home districts, and are listening to constituents with the acuity that comes at the time of a critical election. They need to hear from all of us about the challenges we face in providing access to quality care for our patients in the face of declining reimbursement from Medicare.

The results of the ACC’s practice census clearly show that practices are cutting staff, postponing or cancelling investments in equipment and curtailing services to Medicare beneficiaries in response to the cuts. Failure to fix the SGR will only accelerate the process. The creation of the Independent Payment Advisory Board provides additional uncertainty, and the concern that poorly thought-out payment cuts will paralyze our practices’ ability to serve our patients has never been greater.

Make sure your members of Congress hear your concerns. Learn more ways to get involved in advocacy on CardioSource.