APMA News - November/December 2019 - 54

Federal Advocacy Forum
By Patrick A. DeHeer, DPM

The Nature of the Beast
The gears of change in the federal government can appear to
This rigorous process is designed to secure responsible legmove at a snail's pace. The history of APMA's legislative efforts
islation. Often smaller, single-issue bills are lumped together
to recognize DPMs as physicians under Medicaid is a prime exinto a larger piece of legislation, much like language from
ample. APMA and its members have put considerable time,
APMA's VA Provider Equity Act was included in the VA MISeffort, and resources toward this goal.
SION Act to become law. The result of our legislative process
APMA initially introduced legislation for inclusion in Medicis that a bill like the Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving
aid in the 92nd Congress (197-72).1 It has been a long journey.
Access to Podiatric Physicians (HELLPP) Act (HR 2235) can
At first glance, it appears as a failed endeavor. The reality of the
take decades to pass through the system. Does that mean the
bill is not worth the continued
legislative process would indicate
otherwise, and the facts show the
struggle? Of course not. UnderThe result of our legislative
profession's efforts are not in vain.
standing the nature of the process
process is that a bill like the
Through mid-October, 7,224
is key to maintaining the stamina
to persist, to make necessary adbills were introduced into the curHelping Ensure Life- and
rent 116th Congress, with a mere
justments to our lobbying apLimb-Saving Access to Podiatric proach, and to continue grassroots
65 enacted into law.2 The percentage of bills passed thus far is 0.9
activism supported by a political
Physicians (HELLPP) Act
percent. Historically, the average
action committee (PAC).
(HR
2235)
can
take
decades
to
number of bills passed into law
APMA's Legislative department
pass through the system. Does
averages approximately 3-4 perand committee, supported by the
cent per session.2 Timing and cirthat mean the bill is not worth the efforts of APMAPAC, continue to
cumstances can determine a bill's
work hard to get the HELLPP Act
continued struggle? Of course not. passed. Everyone's participation
viability. The profession's historic
VA MISSION Act victory exempliis critical, including yours! We are
fies the value of diligent legislative efforts.
looking forward to achieving a second historic victory for the
The process of a bill becoming law begins when the bill is
profession and, ultimately, recognizing DPMs in the same
introduced into the US House or Senate. The appropriate comcategory as our allopathic and osteopathic colleagues.
n
mittee(s) of jurisdiction reviews the bill. Then the committee
chair and ranking member determine the committee's agenda
and the bill's future. The committee(s) or subcommittee may
The APMA Protecting Our Profession, or simply APMA POP, is a
hold hearings on the bill, then amend and/or make changes to
separate segregated source of financial resources used for federal legthe bill. If the bill is in a subcommittee, that body recommends
islative education, initiatives, and issue awareness. The APMA POP
whether to advance the bill. If a bill is given back to the full
funds approximately 50 percent of the annual Podiatric Medical
committee, the committee may hold more hearings and examLegislative Conference, as well as public awareness initiatives. These
ine the bill further. If the bill has made it that far, the full comfunds cannot be used directly to support candidates for federal office.
mittee then votes on whether to recommend the bill to the floor
Donations are accepted at www.apma.org/donate.
of the House or Senate. If the bill is advanced, the committee
writes a report on it. The House or Senate then debates the bill,
and then votes on whether to pass the bill.
If the bill passes, it is referred to the other chamber of ConAPMA Trustee and Legislative Committee Chair Patrick A.
DeHeer, DPM, can be reached at advocacy@apma.org.
gress and follows the same route before a vote. If passed with
only minor changes, the bill goes back to the prior chamber for
concurrence. If significant changes occur, the bill goes to a conference committee to reconcile the differences. If agreement ocReferences:
curs regarding the bill, it goes back to both the House and Sen1 Historical Overview of APMA's Efforts to Amend Title XIX 1971
ate for a vote. If passed in both chambers, the bill proceeds to
through March 2010; for a copy of this document, contact Director
the president for approval or veto. If the president signs the bill,
of Legislative Advocacy and APMAPAC Benjamin J. Wallner,
it becomes a law. If the bill is vetoed, the House and Senate may
bjwallner@apma.org.
2 https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/statistics
override the veto with a two-thirds vote.
54 APMA News November/December 2019

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APMA News - November/December 2019

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