APMA News - July 2011 - (Page 54)

Report from the APMAPAC Chair By Gerald D. Peterson, DPM Managing Your Future The general theme of my article this month is practice management. Contributing to APMAPAC is about having a practice to manage. Issues such as discrimination, malpractice reform, tort reform, Title XIX, private contracting by physicians for Medicare patients, antitrust legislation, and parity in the Department of Veterans Affairs and the military are just a few of the issues that APMA, the Legislative Committee, and APMAPAC are managing to help support your practice. Congress continues to try to manage health care, which lately has translated to cutting reimbursements and passing new regulations affecting how podiatrists do business. We must continue to educate our legislators on who we are and what we do. Your APMAPAC contributions give us the tools to support those who know and understand the importance of podiatric medicine and who will stand by our side as we APMAPAC is managing your contributions so we may educate and support the best candidates for Congress regardless of party affiliation. When decisions are made affecting our profession, we hope these efforts will translate into successful outcomes for podiatric medicine because of the support for candidates who have gained a podiatric knowledge base. You can no longer afford to let the other guy carry the load! Please contribute to APMAPAC and then make your voice heard by contacting your legislator with your concerns about podiatric medical coverage. The APMA website can be used to make your contributions with a simple click at www.apma. org/eadvocacy. You may also send your contributions directly to APMAPAC at 9312 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814. You can even manage your contribution using a monthly charge to your credit card over the entire year, making the “hit” less stressful. The APMAPAC Board has made it easy for members to contribute. It is time for all APMA members to manage to make a contribution! We need 100-percent participation every year. As the times get tougher, so must we. n APMAPAC is managing your contributions so we may educate and support the best candidates for Congress regardless of party affiliation. fight for your rights. We must continue to educate our friends in Washington to ensure a strong knowledge base for our profession so these leaders can make decisions that are favorable to our profession and our patients. If our leaders do not understand the importance of podiatric medicine in the healthcare system, we will likely be overlooked when the ink dries on Capitol Hill legislation. Managing your future is what APMAPAC is all about. But we can only be successful in managing the future if you participate by contributing this year and every year going forward. As of June 30, we’ve received an estimated $450,000 from just 19 percent of our association. We must do better! We need participation by everyone, from the first-year practitioner to those nearing retirement. We must all protect and manage our practices, which are our lifeblood and our future. Participation in political action is critical. I am sure you are all aware of the changes affecting your practice daily, including HIT requirements, the pressure of potential Medicare cuts, loss of Medicaid coverage in some states, and the ratcheting down of health-care coverage by many insurance companies. With rising health-care costs comes the threat of cuts to even essential services, including podiatric services. We must be proactive, not reactive. But to do so effectively requires your participation and your contribution! 54 APMA News July/August 2011 ACUTE CARE SURGEON EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY, JAMES H. QUILLEN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE is seeking a board certified/board eligible (BC/BE) trauma/critical care surgeon. This is a chance to work at a state of the art Level I trauma center and surgical intensive care unit. Candidates must be BC/BE in general surgery at time of hire. Completion of a trauma/ critical care fellowship or documented experience in these areas are required. Call will be shared 1:5 ratio with a competitive salary. Individual must be interested in teaching and clinical research. Non-tenure tract academic appointment at the assistant/associate professor level is available. Position is contingent upon outside funding. The area has excellent schools, safe neighborhood, a friendly academic community, excellent recreational opportunities and beautiful mountain views. Interested individuals are invited to send current curriculum vitae to William Browder, M.D, Chairman, Department of Surgery, East Tennessee State University, Box 70575, Johnson City, TN 37614, or e-mail browder@etsu.edu. http://www.apma.org/eadvocacy http://www.apma.org/eadvocacy

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

APMA News - July 2011
President’s Message
Contents
PICA Reflects on its Past, Looks to the Future
APMA Media Event Wrap-Up: Toning Shoes Are All The Rage, Along with Podiatrists' Expert Advice
APMA Member Testifi es Before Congressional Committee on Health IT
Stepping Up to Prevent Falls: Part II
Resident Experts: CPME's Residency Evaluators Share Their Stories
Strategic Planning Retreat Underscores APMA Direction
Reimbursement
Can They Really Do That?
Members Who Know Media
Technofile
Young Voices
Federal Advocacy Forum
Small Business 101
CPME Update
APMAPAC Chair Report
APMA All Stars
In Short
Worthy of Note
Affiliates Corner
Insurance Advisor
New Members
Death Notices
APMAPAC Update
Development Update
Annual Scientific Meeting Sponsors
Committee Nominations
Bylaws Propositions Due
Classified Advertising
Dates to Remember
Advertising Index
Ten Questions

APMA News - July 2011