The ACS and Health Care Reform
The American College of Surgeons stands ready to work with the current Administration and Congress in reforming our nation's health care system. Key ACS initiatives include:
American College of Surgeons 2009 Statement on Health Care Reform (115K PDF)
ACS and 23 Other Organizations Write to President Obama about Health Care Reform Priorities
On Monday, February 22, President Obama released his health care reform proposal, which is based on the Senate-passed health reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590). In advance of the release of the President’s proposal, on February 19, the American College of Surgeons and 23 other organizations representing surgeons and anesthesiologists wrote to the President to reiterate their commitment to reforms that will ensure that Americans have consistent access to care. In addition, the groups stressed the importance of addressing several issues in any final health care reform bill, including extending health insurance coverage to more Americans and repealing the broken current Medicare payment formula known as the sustainable growth rate (SGR). In the letter, the organizations also expressed opposition to a proposal to create an independent Medicare commission that would have policy-making authority over the program and, thereby, likely have a negative effect on patient access to quality, efficient health care. The letter also expressed support for measures that promote well-designed and tested quality improvement initiatives, incorporate medical liability reform, address surgical workforce problems, and ensure appropriate Medicaid payment rates. Finally, the organizations expressed opposition to controversial scope-of-practice proposals that could confuse patients about the significant variations in training, education, and expertise between qualified physicians and other health care providers.
View a copy of the letter online (30K PDF)
Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)
On January 15, 2010, thirty-three additional members of the U. S. House of Representatives signed onto an earlier letter to Speaker Pelosi, opposing the creation of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). In addition, 11 new organizations signed onto the letter of 11 January to Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), stating our opposition to the creation of the IPAB.
View the letter to Speaker Pelosi (1485 PDF)
View the letter to Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid (15 PDF)
On January 11, 2010, 74 organizations, including the American College of Surgeons, sent a letter to the Honorable Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, and the Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, in opposition of the creation of a Medicare payment policy board otherwise known as the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).
In a December 1 letter to the Honorable Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, the American College of Surgeons and 18 other surgical organizations expressed opposition to the Senate health care reform bill, the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009." The organizations agree that while the legislation has some provisions beneficial to surgery, the bill, as currently written, has many significant problems that the surgical coalition believes will negatively impact access and quality of care.
In a November 4, 2009 letter to the Honorable Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, 20 surgical organizations, led by the American College of Surgeons, state they are prepared to oppose the Senate’s health care reform bill because it will threaten patient access and harm quality. The surgeons stated although they strongly support health care reform that will expand access to quality surgical and medical care to as many Americans as possible, they cannot support the legislation as it currently stands because it fails to address some of the fundamental problems that plague the health care system. The surgical groups said they plan to oppose the Senate health care reform bill if a number of provisions that were included in the Senate Finance bill are retained.
View the letter to the Senate (20K PDF)
View the letter to the House of Representatives (20K PDF)
Comprehensive Health Care Reform Legislation Side by Side
A side by side analysis of both House and Senate HCR legislation outlining positive and negative provisions affecting Surgery.
View the document online (60K PDF)
Socio-Economic Fact Center for Surgery
Statement from House of Surgery regarding recent comments from President Obama
In a August 20 statement issued to the media, the American College of Surgeons and 18 other surgical specialties comment on the uninformed remarks recently made by President Obama regarding the surgical profession.
Statement from the American College of Surgeons Regarding Recent Comments from President Obama
Bipartisan Coalition Expresses Strong Opposition to Proposals for an Unelected, Unaccountable Medicare Payment Council
On July 31, Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) led a coalition of 75 Representatives comprised of 45 Democrats and 30 Republicans in sending a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) expressing strong opposition to the “Independent Medicare Advisory Council (IMAC) Act of 2009”, which has been proposed by the Obama Administration, and the “Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) Reform Act of 2009” (H.R. 2718, S. 1110, S. 1380).
ACS FAQ Regarding Health Care Reform Legislation HR 3200
The American College of Surgeons releases a series of Frequently Asked Questions regarding health care reform and the ACS’ initial support for H.R. 3200, the “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009”.
ACS Statement to the Media regarding President Obama's July 22, 2009, Comments on Health Care Reform
In a July 24 statement issued to the media, L. D, Britt, MD, FACS, Chair of the ACS Board of Regents commented on remarks the President made during a July 22 press conference suggesting that "a physician's decision to remove a child's tonsils—or any other procedure—is based on making 'a lot more money'."
View the press statement online
ACS Statement to Speaker Pelosi on H.R. 2718, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) Reform Act of 2009
In a July 21, 2009 statement to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the ACS and 15 other surgical specialties voice their strong opposition to the proposed changes to the MedPAC structure and creation of the Independent Medicare Advisory Council.
View the statement online (15K PDF)
ACS Statements on H.R 3200, the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009
In a July 16, 2009 statement to Chairman Rangel, Waxman, and Miller, the American College of Surgeons express support for H.R. 3200. While the legislation includes a wide range of provisions, it does embody many of the top legislative priorities of the College including addressing the underlying problems of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) used to calculate Medicare physician payments, resetting the budget baseline for the Medicare physician payment system, and ensuring that increased payments to primary care are not financed through reductions in payments for surgical care.
View the statement online (155K PDF)
Comments on the House Tri-Committee Draft Health Care Reform
In a June 30, 2009 statement, the American College of Surgeons, along with 20 other surgical specialties, responds to draft legislation on health care reformrecently introduced by the House Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Labor Committees.
View the Statement online (135K PDF)
Comments on the Senate Finance Committee Policy Options
Transforming the Health Care Delivery System: Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Health Care Costs
View the Statement online (90K PDF)
American College of Surgeons Statement on Health Care Reform
In its recently issued Statement on Health Care Reform, the American College of Surgeons urges Congress and the Administration to take action concerning three critically important and interrelated goals for health care: quality and safety, access/workforce issues, and reduction of health care costs. This document sets forth for each of these priorities specific actions that Congress and the current President and Administration should support, as well as related activities the ACS is committed to undertaking.
View the Statement online (100K PDF)
United Surgery Agenda
The surgical community stands united in the effort to bring fundamental and long-term change to the Medicare physician payment system. The House of Surgery has three top priorities for this effort: repealing the current sustainable growth rate (SGR) and establishing a new baseline for the physician payment system; replacing the current SGR with a system of multiple conversion factors; and ensuring that any additional payments that are made to primary care physicians are not budget neutral within the physician payment pool.
View the full Statement online (30K PDF)
Letters to Congress
In a November 4, 2009 letter to the Honorable Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, 20 surgical organizations, led by the American College of Surgeons, state they are prepared to oppose the Senate’s health care reform bill because it will threaten patient access and harm quality. The surgeons stated although they strongly support health care reform that will expand access to quality surgical and medical care to as many Americans as possible, they cannot support the legislation as it currently stands because it fails to address some of the fundamental problems that plague the health care system. The surgical groups said they plan to oppose the Senate health care reform bill if a number of provisions that were included in the Senate Finance bill are retained.
Medical Liability Reform
In a September 11, 2009 letter to House and Senate Leaders, the American College of Surgeons, along with 20 other surgical specialties, urge Congress to include Medical Liability Reform in any final health care reform legislation.
View the House Letter (30K PDF)
View the Senate Letter (30K PDF)
Baucus Letter from Major Surgical Organizations on Improving Access to Care
A May 29, 2009, letter to Honorable Max Baucus, Chairman, Senate Finance Committee, from the American College of Surgeons along with 20 other surgical organizations was written in response to the Senate Finance Committee’s proposals entitled Expanding Health Care Coverage: Proposals to Provide Affordable Coverage to All Americans and Financing Comprehensive Health Care Reform: Proposed Health System Savings and Revenue Options. In this letter, the surgical organizations state that expanding coverage to more Americans and improving the quality of care will mean little if Americans are not able to access the care they need. The groups outline key measures for improving access to care in order to make health care reform truly possible.
View the letter online (45K PDF)
Berkley-Kirk Letter Supporting Increased Medicare Payments and Medicare Payment Reform
On April 30, Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) led a coalition of 90 Representatives in sending to letter House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) urging them to take action to increase Medicare payments to physicians in 2010 and to initiate much-needed reform of Medicare’s payment system this year. The letter also expresses strong opposition to any proposal that would finance increased payments for some physicians and physician services through decreased payments to other physicians, including surgeons.
View the letter online (30K PDF)
Other ACS Statements:
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Revised March 19, 2010