Legislators send letter to Medicare addressing CCTA payment

News & Press: Advocacy

Thursday, January 13, 2022 (0 Comments)
Posted by: Audrey Gentry

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Over the past few months, SCCT developed and implemented a targeted advocacy campaign at CMS with the support of key members of Congress to reassign CCTA CPT® codes to more appropriate APCs (Ambulatory Payment Classification; the “bucket” of services which determines reimbursement rates). In addition to APC reassignment, this campaign sought CMS authorization for facilities to submit Medicare claims for CCT services under revenue codes outside of general CT services.

        
SCCT efforts included:
Obtaining the organizational support of ACC, ACR, NASCI, and ASPC. 
Focused advocacy and education efforts on the two committees in the House of Representatives with jurisdiction over Medicare – Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means. 
Meeting with 35 congressional offices – 20 Democrats, 15 Republicans. 
Emailing SCCT members to encourage them to write to their legislator to urge them to sign onto the CMS letter.       
Securing the signatures to the CMS letter of 14 members of the House of Representatives; this letter was sent to CMS in December.

        
SCCT is grateful to Advocacy Committee Chair Dustin Thomas, MD, FSCCT and committee member Juan Batlle, MD, FSCCT, who led this major effort. We also appreciate our members who contacted their representatives to urge their support as well as the support of Congressman Ted Lieu (D–CA) who championed our issue in Congress. SCCT will seek to build upon these efforts in 2022 through continued advocacy with CMS and members of Congress.  

Read the letter to CMS