APMA Refutes AAOS Attack on the Profession; Take Action Now on Legislation | News

May 16, 2016

Update, May 16:

APMA is aware of efforts by AAOS to derail the VA Provider Equity Act. The organization has sent a letter to several Senate offices and come out against recognizing podiatrists as physicians on the same pay band as MDs and DOs by citing inferior training and education standards. APMA has prepared and distributed a letter countering these claims and outlining the qualifications of today's podiatrist.

APMA urges its members to use eAdvocacy to contact their senators today and explain why the VA Provider Equity Act is essential for America's veterans.

Original article, May 10:

APMA’s legislation to recognize podiatrists as physicians within the Veterans Health Administration—the VA Provider Equity Act—is in danger of failing after being left out of the Senate’s VA omnibus bill, the Veterans First Act.

Our legislation, which was included in the House-passed version of the bill, HR 3016, must now be brought forward when the House and Senate come to conference their respective bills in the next several weeks. APMA needs you to take action now to keep the legislation alive and ensure the future of your profession!

The success of the VA Provider Equity Act affects all podiatrists whether or not you work for the VA. If podiatrists gain recognition as physicians within the VA, it will bolster the argument that they should be treated equally with their allopathic and osteopathic colleagues in all government health-care plans. This action, in turn, will influence the fee schedules of private insurance plans and ensure a future of true parity for podiatric medicine.

Use APMA eAdvocacy today, tomorrow, and every day until the two bills are conferenced to tell your elected officials—and your senators in particular—why they need to support podiatric medicine. The potential failure of this legislation is not a VA problem; it is a podiatry problem. Do the right thing for your profession and act now!

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