Winner of a 2008 National Chapter Award The Iowa Chapter was recognized by the ACC in 2008 “for its accomplishments in advancing the College mission through its enhancement of member value, education, advocacy and quality of patient care.” News Flash Nidal Harb, MD FACC Elected Incoming Chapter Governor Nidal Harb, MD, FACC has been elected as Incoming Chapter Governor. He will serve in this position until March of 2011 at which time he will take over responsibilities as Chapter Governor. Dr. Harb has served on the Strategic Council for several years. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Harb! Please join us at the ACC Annual meeting and register now! Craig Clark, D.O., FACC Iowa Health Cardiology 1301 Pennsylvania Ave Des Moines, Iowa 50316 Phone: (515) 263-2400 Email: governor@iaacc.org Bio ACC Moves Forward With Legal Action Against CMS The ACC's New Year resolution is to apply all means necessary to turn around the 2010 Medicare Payment Rule. On the legal front, the U.S. District Court in Florida has granted the College's request for an expedited hearing on our motion for a preliminary injunction. This hearing is scheduled for early January and we are in an expedited discovery phase. The ACC on Dec. 28 filed a complaint, as well as motions for a preliminary injunction and expedited discovery, against Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. For more on the lawsuit, including a new FAQ to help answer basic questions, click here. A recent USA Today article also provides an overview of the legal action. The ACC's Campaign for Patient Access Web site provides daily updates on the legal activities, as well as ACC's regulatory and legislative efforts. It also provides tools and resources for patients and practices. Unfortunately, minus a reprieve from Congress or CMS before Jan. 1, the cuts included in the final rule are for now official. The College has developed a series of documents to help practices navigate the biggest changes, including cardiology coding changes and the new consultation policy. The College has also developed a “Practice Survival Toolkit” to help with important decisions regarding practice management. Submit 2009 PQRI Data Before Feb. 21 Feb. 21 is the last day to submit data for the 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) using measure groups. Successful participation in the 2009 PQRI program enables participants to earn a 2 percent incentive payment on all Medicare Part B professional services for 2009. The ACC has partnered with CECity to offer PQRIwizardSM, an online subscription-based program that has been qualified for PQRI submission by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. PQRIwizard can be used to report on the following measure groups: Diabetes Mellitus Preventative Care Rheumatoid Arthritis Back Pain Chronic Kidney Disease Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Perioperative Care Data submissions must be for patient visits within the 2009 calendar year. For more information or to register for the PQRIwizard, visit: http://acc.pqriwizard.com. More information on 2010 PQRI participation will be included in the upcoming issue of Cardiology. Register for ACC.10 & i2.10 in Atlanta Join us at ACC.10 & i2.10 to bridge the future of science to the present and advance your knowledge. Full-access to ACC.10 & i2.10 features — 11 learning pathways providing education for every interest Interactive learning experiences Lifelong learning and recertification opportunities Revolutionary interventional cardiology with access to i2 Summit ACC.10 Expo and all new Learning Destinations including the Hybrid Cath Lab/OR Suite and 3D CV Theater, Hands-On Learning Labs, Simulation Stations and the Industry-Expert Theater And much, much more! Click here for more information and to register today. IAACC Contact: Nancy Grubb Chapter Executive Director Email: executivedirector@iaacc.org Phone: 319-335-9784