APMA News - February 2011 - (Page 36)

I Federal Advocacy Forum I Legislative Advocacy: Whose Job is It, Anyway? By PhilliP E. Ward, dPM, Chair, aPMa legislative Committee In the last two issues of APMA News, we reviewed the areas of federal activity in which APMA’s legislative committee and advocacy staff were involved during the 111th Congress. We also reported that significant changes will occur in the 112th Congress, including the shift in political power in the House, giving Republicans a significant majority; a narrowing of the Democratic majority in the Senate that will make legislative action more difficult in that chamber; and an infusion of more than 110 new members of Congress—and hundreds of new staff— most of whom haven’t a clue about the medical education or training of podiatrists or about our role in the delivery of health care. These changes increase the federal advocacy challenge for the profession in 2011 and 2012 and create additional hurdles to overcome in our efforts to influence federal legislation in the new Congress. This month I want to explore with you the matter of advocacy. What is it and whose job is it, anyway? From my post as chair of the APMA Legislative Committee, advocacy means, within the context of what is ethical and legal, taking action to do whatever is necessary and possible to produce positive legislative results for the podiatric medical profession and to position the profession in a positive light before members of Congress and their staff. Advocacy is not something any individual can do alone. The APMA Board of Trustees can’t do it alone, nor can independent consultants or lobbyists do it alone. All the dollars contributed to 36 APMAPAC and in the APMA treasuries won’t accomplish our goals alone. The late John R. Carson, APMA’s first director of Governmental Affairs and APMA’s first federal lobbyist, was famous for equating political action, i.e., legislative advocacy, to a threelegged stool. Each leg is essential for the stool to stand solidly, and each leg must be of equal length to maintain stability. The First Leg: Professional Lobbying— APMA has enjoyed strong and effective professional lobbying by association staff since 1969, when Carson joined the association to lead APMA’s legislative programming effort. Visit APMA’s Federal Advocacy Center website at www.apma. org/legislativemilestones for a summary of the accomplishments that ensued. In addition to internal association lobbyists, APMA has also engaged as needed the services of Washington lobbyists and consultants to help address its issues and reach its goals. The Second Leg: APMAPAC—Today, APMA boasts one of the most effective health-care provider political action committees in the nation. APMAPAC ranks 12th out of 124 federally registered health-provider PACs in total dollars contributed to federal candidates during the 2010 elections and even edged out the American Medical Association’s PAC. APMA’s level of member support and its strength is envied by much larger healthprovider organizations. The Third Leg: Constituent Lobbying— Professional lobbying and PAC support for federal candidates alone will not support the advocacy stool. Without strong constituent involvement—and by that I mean from every APMA member—the stool will tumble, and so will APMA’s efforts to successfully educate members of Congress about the profes- sion in order to produce effective and positive legislative results. That is why APMA continually asks its members to be politically involved, to advocate one-on-one with legislators, and to assist in keeping up the podiatric political drumbeat. Strong relationships between APMA’s lobby team and members of Congress, and strong relationships between individual podiatrists and the members of Congress who represent them can make the difference between a lawmaker working for us or against us. This year, APMA is instituting a new home district lobbying event that will take place between March 21 and April 30. This event will be in lieu of the spring legislative conference and lobby days conducted annually in Washington following the APMA House of Delegates. The leadership of the current Congress has decided to schedule weeklong “home district work periods” each month, and Congress will not be in session during the week the conference was scheduled (the conference was arranged several years ago as part of a multi-year contract with the DC hotel). Participants in the home district event will need to register with APMA (see registration form on facing page) so we can set up meetings between them and members of Congress. We will then notify registrants when and where their meeting(s) will take place, provide instruction about issues and visit protocol (likely through webinars), and request a report be submitted back to APMA after the visit. APMA will be using an outside company to set up what we hope will be hundreds of visits. This is an exciting new adventure for the profession, and we need all members to participate in sowing the seeds that we hope will bear fruit in the 112th Congress! n APMA News l February 2011 http://www.apma.org/workingforyou/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1378&navItemNumber=645 http://www.apma.org/workingforyou/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1378&navItemNumber=645

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - February 2011

APMA News - February 2011
Contents
In Short
President’s Message
A New Era in APMA Communications
Model Fee-Parity Law Now Available
Looking Forward to 2011 with ASPS
Nadia Sadeghi: A Long Road to Podiatric Medicine
Destination Boston: 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting
Annual Scientific Meeting Registration Form
Insurance Advisor
2011 Call for Awards Nominations
Members Who Know Media
CPME Update
Federal Advocacy Forum
Young Members Update
Coding Update
Talking Practice Enhancement
IT Consultant
New Members
Death Notices
In Memoriam: John Carson
Worthy of Note
Resolutions Submissions
Development Update
APMAPAC Update
Classified Advertising
Dates to Remember
Advertising Index

APMA News - February 2011