From Policy to Practice: How the ACC Legislative Conference Advances Cardiovascular Care

In an interview with Pharmacy Times®, William Van Decker, MD, chair of the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) Health Affairs Committee, outlines the major themes of the upcoming ACC Legislative Conference and their implications for the broader cardiovascular (CV) care team, including pharmacists. The conference serves as an essential forum for health professionals to advocate for policy reforms that strengthen patient access, enhance care quality, and streamline administrative processes.

Van Decker highlights several legislative priorities: maintaining telehealth flexibilities through the CONNECT Act, expanding home-based cardiac rehabilitation, improving access to remote monitoring for maternal patients via the MOM Act, and reforming prior authorization under the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act. He emphasizes that these initiatives collectively aim to reduce barriers to care, support medication adherence, and empower multidisciplinary collaboration.

For pharmacists, Van Decker notes critical opportunities to influence medication management, reinforce patient education, and alleviate prior authorization burdens that impact both prescribers and dispensers. He also discusses the evolving landscape of value-based care, advocating for models that measure quality—not cost alone—and recognize the vital role of pharmacy in optimizing outcomes.

As the conversation turns to technology, Van Decker underscores the importance of responsible artificial intelligence integration and sustained dialogue between pharmacists and cardiologists to preserve the human touch in patient care. He concludes by reaffirming the shared mission among health care professionals to advance equitable, high-quality cardiovascular care rooted in teamwork, patient engagement, and evidence-based policy.