President's Messagejuly 2024Dear PaACC Members, It has been an eventful last couple of weeks in national politics to be sure! We want to update you on several important bills and chapter events going on with the PaACC. NONCOMPETE LEGISLATION House Bill 1633 (Noncompete Covenants) has been signed into law as Act 74. This new legislation, which takes effect on January 1, 2025, introduces significant changes to noncompete agreements for health care practitioners (physicians as well as APPs) in Pennsylvania. Key Provisions of Act 74:
Your Input is Needed! This bill passed the House as a comprehensive non-compete ban, but was quickly amended and passed through the Senate. It is unclear what if any input physician groups had on the final Senate version of the bill. On the one hand it is good that non-competes can be no longer than a year and are not enforceable if you are terminated, however, there are no limits addressed in the bill for that year including a mileage size restriction, banning particular future employers, etc. We will be meeting with our lobbyist to develop strategies for improving this law in the next legislative session. We invite you to share your feedback and suggestions on how we can enhance this legislation by replying to this email. For those of you are PA Medical Society members, please also share your feedback on their website as the medical society is always consulted by lawmakers on issues. Concerning the Federal Trade Commission’s rule banning all noncompete agreements, there are several court cases that have just begun. A federal judge in Pennsylvania just this week denied an injunction blocking the FTC rule from going into effect in September. A different federal judge in Texas however last month issued a preliminary injunction on behalf of a company and the US Chamber of Commerce blocking the rule from going into effect for those companies, with a decision to be made on a nationwide injunction due at the end of August. The FTC ban likely does not apply to not-for-profit companies which make up the majority of hospitals (and physician employers) in Pennsylvania. It is clear that improving the state law regarding noncompetes will be the best way to improve the freedom for PA physicians to work where they want to and with what employer.
SAVE THE DATE The ACC Legislative Conference is scheduled from September 29 - October 1, 2024. Given the proposed additional cuts in Medicare reimbursement for next year, it is more important than ever to advocate for our profession and access to care for our patients. This signature three-day event offers cardiovascular clinicians spanning the entire care team a chance to hear from ACC leaders, staff and other experts on health policy issues affecting patients and the profession. It also provides an important opportunity to speak directly with members of Congress and their staff on the final day of the meeting. Pennsylvania always has one of the larger delegations and we invite anyone interested in join us. Register here. We continue to welcome feedback and are excited about growing and having more members get involved. Please check out our website at www.pcacc.org, follow us on Twitter @PAChapterACC, and reach out any time via president@pcacc.org with questions, ideas, needs or if you would like to get involved in PaACC activities. Ross Peterson, MD, MBA, FACC President, PaACC Governor, Western PA |
Date: November 9-10 Location: Heart House and the Washington Marriott Georgetown Additional information and registration are here. Click on the image or here to read the letter.
ACTION NEEDED:ABMS Seeking Comments on the Proposed CV BoardThe American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has announced the start of a 90-day Public Comment Period
seeking input on the new, independent Board of Cardiovascular Medicine
proposed by the ACC, American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society
of America, Heart Rhythm Society and The Society for Cardiovascular
Angiography & Interventions. The comment period is a critical part
of the ABMS application review and an important opportunity for the
cardiovascular community, hospitals and health systems, patients and
other stakeholders to show their support for the new Board and engage in
the decision-making process. All comments must be submitted electronically by July 24. In addition to providing basic identifying information, including your name and email, the comment form consists of three main questions: 1) Do you agree with the creation of a new American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine; 2) Does the new Board meet ABMS requirements for initial certification; and 3) Does the new Board meet ABMS requirements for continuous certification? Along with indicating your agreement, the form includes opportunities to provide any comments related to your responses, as well as a chance to upload a letter or document. Additional comments on the ways a specialized, independent Board of Cardiovascular Medicine would benefit you, your hospital, practice and/or your patients are strongly encouraged. To submit your comments, as well as access detailed FAQs, on-demand webinars and a listing of the initial Board of Directors, visit CVBoard.org. In addition, we encourage you to help spread the word about the comment period using the social media graphic and sample messaging below. Should you need any additional communication support, please contact Shalen Fairbanks (sfairban@acc.org). |