APMA News - January/February 2020 - 46

Federal Advocacy Forum
By Patrick A. DeHeer, DPM

The Fight to End Professional Discrimination
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going
to get better. It's not." -Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
At first glance, the Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving
Access to Podiatric Physicians Act (HELLPP Act / HR 2355)
may not seem to apply to you personally. You may not treat
Medicaid patients, or you may work for a hospital or group that
pays you on relative value units (RVUs), so it makes no difference to you whether podiatric physicians are defined as physicians in Medicaid.
But even those of us who are protected by our employment
status must recognize that professional discrimination affects
every podiatric physician at some level, and that successful
passage of the HELLPP Act is the next-and most difficult-
step in professional equivalency. Despite our significant progress during my 30 years in the profession, podiatric physicians
still fight daily battles against professional discrimination. The
tide is turning, and our time has come, but you must do your
part on behalf of the profession.
Remember that 2020 is an election year and members of
Congress will be back home frequently, providing opportunities for you to engage with them about our professional priorities. If you haven't already done so, and even if you have,

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46 APMA News January/February 2020

now is the time to build and expand on your congressional
relationships to keep the HELLPP Act moving through Congress toward passage in 2020. Grassroots advocacy is the essential component to successful health-care legislation. The
profession must engage its members of Congress through a
unified voice if we are to be heard on Capitol Hill.
Numerous opportunities exist to engage with legislators
at home. Inviting your representative or senator to visit your
office is the best way to showcase what we do and the role we
play on the health-care team. Consider also attending townhall meetings, or attending or hosting a fundraiser as excellent ways to form lasting relationships. APMA provides grassroots advocacy resources for members at www.apma.org/
GrassrootsAdvocacy.
n
APMA Trustee and Legislative Committee Chair Patrick A.
DeHeer, DPM, can be reached at advocacy@apma.org.

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APMA News - January/February 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - January/February 2020

Contents
APMA News - January/February 2020 - Cover1
APMA News - January/February 2020 - Cover2
APMA News - January/February 2020 - 3
APMA News - January/February 2020 - 4
APMA News - January/February 2020 - 5
APMA News - January/February 2020 - 6
APMA News - January/February 2020 - 7
APMA News - January/February 2020 - Contents
APMA News - January/February 2020 - 9
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APMA News - January/February 2020 - Cover3
APMA News - January/February 2020 - Cover4
APMA News - January/February 2020 - A1
APMA News - January/February 2020 - A2
APMA News - January/February 2020 - A3
APMA News - January/February 2020 - A4
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