ACC 49th Annual Scientific Session
News Conference Highlights
Sunday, March 12, 2000

(ANAHEIM, CALIF.)—The president of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) today announced his vision for a new health care plan that would guarantee coverage to all uninsured Americans and offer them a choice of health plans.

ACC President Arthur Garson, Jr., MD, MPH, says the plan is based on six principles: 1) Universal coverage; 2) Public–private partnership with competition; 3) Alternative to employer-based health insurance; 4) Administrative simplification; 5) Emphasis on quality and the patient–doctor relationship; and 6) Paying for the uninsured by redirecting current revenue, new revenue, and increased efficiency.

"Ten years ago, the U.S. healthcare system was declared broken. If things keeps going at this rate, it's going to disintegrate," says Dr. Garson. "Eighty percent of Americans— patients and doctors alike—want universal healthcare coverage now. It's time to make a fundamental change."

Dr. Garson says his plan has been drafted for the year 2010 to take advantage of the technological and societal changes that will be required for it to work. For example, under the plan, doctors would routinely use confidential electronic medical records, which would store a patient's information, contain guidelines for reference, and allow doctors to automatically bill healthcare plans on a fee-for-service basis.

"Patients and doctors would benefit because healthcare providers would have all of the information they need at their fingertips and would avoid the hassles of pre-approvals and billings that are now eroding healthcare. Doctors could concentrate solely on providing the best patient care. Patients would get more time with their doctors. Quality would return to healthcare," according to Dr. Garson.

The 2010 plan outlines potential funding mechanisms, which would more than cover the uninsured. Among the revenue sources are more than 40 billion dollars that hospitals as well as state and federal governments are now spending on the uninsured; 44 billion dollars from larger businesses that are not providing healthcare for their employees; and 51 billion dollars from simplifying the administrative process.

In drafting his plan this past year, Dr. Garson consulted with officials from the administration; representatives from the presidential campaigns; the Congress; insurers; business people; healthcare economists; and, most important, patients and doctors. He will be announcing the 2010 plan at the American College of Cardiology 49th Annual Scientific Session in Anaheim, Calif.

Dr. Garson says, "I am proposing this plan for a new healthcare system as a private citizen, a practicing physician, and, at times, a patient. I hope that ACC members and others will consider, debate, and challenge the principles in this plan. The goal is to end up with the best healthcare system for all Americans."