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Ohio-ACC News  November 2017
President's Message
Laxmi S. Mehta, MD, FACC
Laxmi Mehta, MD, FACC
Dear Ohio-ACC Colleague,

This November, please help your ACC improve the prior authorization process by expanding the current collection of prior authorization request data. ACC members and their staff are encouraged to submit all prior authorization denial information into  ACC's PARTool for the full month of November. Robust data collection is the first step in identifying trends of inappropriate denials and exhaustive administrative burdens.

My colleague, Dr. Edward T.A. Fry, ACC Trustee-elect, said, "Nurses and Pre-Cert/PA staff who are on the front lines of the Pre-Authorization process can be the 'champions' to remind and encourage us to submit 100% of our PA requests. The payers and RBM's are well aware of the power of numbers and scoff at anecdotes, as egregious as they may be. Engaging everyone involved with the process will amplify our voice. Many hands make light work." You can  read more about how ACC is tackling prior authorization here.

Here are some Q&A that may be helpful for you:
What does PARTool stand for and where can I access it?
PARTool is ACC’s web-based digital prior authorization tool located at  ACC.org/PARTool. 
Why was the PARTool created?
In the field of cardiology, pre-authorization is a daily issue, and the ACC has long been a leader in efforts to find a solution that balances the needs of physicians and their patients with those of health plans. The PARTool was created as an outgrowth of an ACC Workgroup that was formed to define issues and create process with achievable goals around prior authorization to address insurance denial, test substitution and appropriate use criteria (AUC). The ultimate goal of the tool is to improve the prior authorization process. 

What does the PARTool do?
The PARTool collects data to help the College determine overall prior authorization and test substitution trends, and better understand problematic areas of the prior authorization process, including time burdens, test substitution and peer-to-peer reviews. 

How does the PARTool work?
The PARTool was designed to make reporting issues both simple and self-explanatory. First, log on to ACC.org/PARTool. You will be invited to submit a 12-question form with information on incorrectly denied or difficult prior authorization requests. Please note that the form is NOT collecting patient specific data.

How will the data be used?
Staff will review submitted data monthly for potential trends. The ACC intends to use these data trends to engage with insurers, prior authorization vendors, state legislators and insurance officials to reduce the burden of prior authorization. Engagement aims to reduce member burden with prior authorization, and returning attention to direct patient interaction.

Please feel free to contact me at laxmi.mehta@osumc.edu.

Sincerely, 

Laxmi S. Mehta, MD, FACC
President
Ohio-ACC Annual Meeting Held on 10/14/17
2017 Annual Meeting
The 27th Annual Meeting of the Ohio-ACC was a resounding success. Special thanks to Elisa Bradley, MD, FACC and  Kara Quan, MD, FACC who served as the meeting co-chairs. With more than 130 attendees, the day proved to be excellent for both education and networking. You can take a look at photos and presentations of the meeting here!

Our fellows in training competed in a poster competition and oral competition as did our CV team members. Congratulations to:

Fellow in Training Oral Presentation
First place – Katherine Dodd, DO, OSUMC
Second place – Avi Guha, MD, OSUMC

Fellow in Training Clinical Research Posters 1st/2nd year
First place – Peter Hu, MD, CCF
Second place – Andrew Noll, MD, CCF

Fellow in Training Clinical Research Posters 3rd year/advanced fellowship
First place – Adam Powell, MD, CCHMC
Second place – Colleen Pater, MD, CCHMC

Fellow in Training Case Report Poster Winners
1st year – Kelly Laipply, MD, UC
2nd year – Cameron Lambert, MD, CCF
3rd year/advanced fellowship – Laura D’Addese, MD, CCF Pediatric Cardiology

CV Team Members (RN, NP, CNS, PA, PharmD) Poster Winner
First place – Julie Mease, NP, OSUMC

Resident Case Report Poster Winner
First place – Daniel Pinkas, DO, OSUMC

Save the date for our 2018 meeting on October 27, 2018 at the Columbus Hilton at Easton!
Encourage Your Patients to
Enter ACC’s "I am CardioSmart" Contest
ACC’s CardioSmart team is in search of four inspiring individuals who are living well with heart disease. Do you have inspiring patients who have survived a heart attack or stroke, or who are living with heart failure, atrial fibrillation or a congenital heart defect? Encourage them to take part in    ACC’s “I am CardioSmart” contest    for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card and be profiled in    Cardiology  Magazine. Stories (no longer than 500 words) must be submitted no later than Nov. 30 to  jjpierre@acc.org   . For more details and    contest rules   , go to    CardioSmart.org/IamCardioSmart.
Save the Dates for Upcoming Meetings
Please mark your calendars for these upcoming meetings:

November 9th, 2017
Hampton Inn – Airport Hotel, Columbus

March 28th, 2018
The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland

May 1st, 2018
The Sheraton Hotel Columbus at Capitol Square & the Statehouse
CMS Announces Final Rule for 2018
Physician Fee Schedule Final Policy, Payment, and Quality Provisions for CY 2018

On November 2, CMS issued a final rule that includes updates to payment policies, payment rates, and quality provisions for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) on or after January 1, 2018.

The overall update to payments under the PFS based on the finalized CY 2018 rates will be +0.41 percent. This update reflects the +0.50 percent update established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, reduced by 0.09 percent, due to the misvalued code target recapture amount, required under the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014. After applying these adjustments, and the budget neutrality adjustment to account for changes in Relative Value Units, all required by law, the final 2018 PFS conversion factor is $35.99, an increase to the 2017 PFS conversion factor of $35.89.
Ohio Chapter of the ACC | 614-859-2223 | ohioacc@gmail.com