APMA News - March/April 2022 - 28

federal advocacy forum
Special Thanks to
Our Original Sponsors
By William S. Long, DPM
In this issue, let's thank our podiatric champions
in Congress. After all, the only way to ensure
our beloved profession is protected and continues
to advance is through our relationships with
local, state, and federal policymakers. Our federal
legislators serve as our voices on Capitol Hill. They
are our advocates on legislation that impacts the
podiatric community.
As public servants, their goal is to make decisions
that positively impact our communities; in
that way, they are not so different from physicians
and other health-care providers. Personally, I am
rewarded by knowing my medical knowledge and
surgical skills have helped save countless limbs and
lives. Our profession, much like holding office, can
be a thankless pursuit. Therefore, it is my pleasure
to honor a few congressional podiatric champions,
starting with the original sponsors of the Helping
Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving Access to Podiatric
Physicians (HELLPP) Act (HR 2972/S 2769).
Over the past 18 years, our federal legislators
have fought diligently to change the law to
ensure foot and ankle care for Medicaid patients
performed by doctors of podiatric medicine is
secured-not " optional. " Passage of the HELLPP Act
will provide Medicaid patients access to premier
foot and ankle care performed by DPMs. More
patient access to podiatrists will result in better patient
care and a decrease in loss of limbs and lives.
Let's show our gratitude to the following members
of Congress who are original sponsors of our
bipartisan HELLPP Act.
Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO) serves as
a member of the US House Committee on Energy
and Commerce. She has fought tirelessly for millions
of low-income Americans on Medicaid, and
28
apmanews
MARCH/APRIL 2022
her support for the HELLPP Act is a testament to
her leadership in health care. She served two terms
in the Colorado state legislature prior to her service
in the US House of Representatives.
The other lead sponsor of the House bill is
Representative Bill Johnson (R-OH). He was elected
to Congress in 2010 and has served six terms
in the house. Johnson serves on the Energy and
Commerce Committee and plays a pivotal role in
the implementation of laws affecting health care.
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) made history in
2000 after being elected as the first female US senator
for the state of Michigan. Her inspiration to serve
the public began with a successful effort to thwart
the closure of a local nursing home. She served
12 years in the Michigan House of Representatives
and four years in the state senate. As chair of the
Democratic Policy and Communications Committee,
she is committed to bipartisan efforts to provide
affordable health care to all Americans. She is also a
member of the Senate Finance Committee.
Senator Todd Young (R-IN) is a member of the US
Senate Finance Committee. He believes in bipartisanship
and is an avid supporter of the HELLPP Act.
As of the writing of this column, 51 cosponsors
representing 26 states are supporting our
bill. Let's show our gratitude by getting even
more cosponsors to join them. View the full list
of congressional cosponsors at www.apma.org/
HELLPPCosponsors.
If your member of Congress is not yet a cosponsor
of the HELLPP Act, log on to www.apma.org/
eAdvocacy and send a prewritten letter requesting
their support. A robust increase in cosponsors will
positively impact our chances to pass this bill once
and for all. It is long overdue.
http://www.apma.org/HELLPPCosponsors http://www.apma.org/HELLPPCosponsors http://www.apma.org/eAdvocacy http://www.apma.org/eAdvocacy
APMA News - March/April 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - March/April 2022
