APMA News - March/April 2020 - 42

Report from the APMAPAC Chair
By Barney A. Greenberg, DPM

It is Never Too Soon to Protect
and Promote our Profession
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Medicaid and diabetic shoe bill-the Helping Ensure
The practice of podiatric medicine and surgery has come a
long way over the 40 years I have been practicing. Our scope of
Life- and Limb-Saving Access to Podiatric Physicians
practice and the training of our students and residents have im(HELLPP) Act
proved dramatically, bringing us up to par with our allopathic
Podiatric medical student loan and debt protection legcolleagues. Our educational standards have allowed us to
islation
seek parity for our profession on many levels. The future that
Repeated need to prevent CMS discrimination in, and
we are painting is very bright for our students, residents, and
reduction of, E/M code reimbursements
young physicians, as well as our seasoned physicians. But we
Donations to APMAPAC and
need the entire profession to
APMA
POP (APMA Protecting
take ownership of political acWhile
our
accomplishments
Our
Profession,
a fund that covtion to effectively protect and
ers
approximately
50 percent of
are
many,
so
are
the
attacks
promote our profession for an
the
annual
Podiatric
Medical
even brighter tomorrow.
on our profession. Whether you
Legislative
Conference,
and
pubOur students are taking an
are
a
student
or
a
seasoned
lic
awareness
initiatives)
helped
active role in political advocacy
to help secure their future and
physician, or anywhere in between, fund the above successes. These
donations also enabled APMA to
that of the profession. Through
we need your help and support.
continue to protect our profesa coordinated effort between
sion by averting attacks on our
APMA and the American Podipractice
and
reimbursements.
The last bullet illustrates the
atric Medical Students' Association, an advocacy day has
need
for
vigilance
and
is
exactly
why we encourage our young
been scheduled on all nine of our podiatric medical campuses.
physician
members
to
be
in
the
habit of donating annually
During the event, students will learn how the political proto
APMAPAC.
cess works and will be given an opportunity to participate
While our accomplishments are many, so are the attacks
directly in that process through APMA's eAdvocacy website.
on our profession. Whether you are a student or a seasoned
Students will further engage with elected leaders through efphysician, or anywhere in between, we need your help and
fective use of social media tools including APMA's eAdvocacy
support.
website, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Please become a member of our team by donating at www.
The suggested APMAPAC annual contribution level for
apma.org/donate and sending prewritten messages to Constudents is $25. It is not the amount, but the participation
gress at www.apma.org/eadvocacy.
n
that is important, forming the habit of giving. Contributing
to APMAPAC is a buy-in to political action, and we hope that
as these students begin residency and then practice, they will
continue to give back to the profession.
Contact Dr. Greenberg at pac@apma.org.
The next generation of podiatrists will learn from our political history and so must pick up the mantle to protect and
promote our profession.
Here's just a short list of the legislative accomplishments
PURPOSE: The American Podiatric Medical Association Political Action Comour political activism has provided for our profession:
mittee's purpose is to raise and disburse funds to candidates for federal office who
Passed the VA Provider Equity Act
support the legislative priorities and goals of the podiatric medical profession.
Averted CMS discrimination in, and reduction of, E/M
code reimbursements
IMPORTANT: Any contribution amounts noted here are suggested amounts. You may
Secured full federal funding for podiatric medical and
contribute more, less, or not contribute without concern of being favored or disadvantaged. Occupation/employer information is required for aggregate annual contribusurgical residencies with no cap

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And here's a short list of the issues we continue to work
on and for which we need your support:
42 APMA News March/April 2020

tions of more than $200.00 by the Federal Election Campaign Act. Federal election
law does not permit corporate contributions to be used for donation to candidates
for federal office. Political contributions are not deductible for income tax purposes.

http://www.apma.org/donate http://www.apma.org/donate http://www.apma.org/eadvocacy

APMA News - March/April 2020

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