03/29/2016

New York Delegation Completes Successful APMA HOD

The NYSPMA delegation to the APMA House of Delegates finished a very productive five days of policy development and strategic planning on behalf of the profession.

Our 13 representatives, the largest group of any participating state, were instrumental in the passage of three New York resolutions, the refinement of a fourth resolution and spearheading an emerging issues forum topic on podiatric college enrollment.

Given the recent CMS announcement of movement away from fee for service to value based payment methodologies, our delegation wrote three separate resolutions recommending a pro-active approach to preparing members for the transition.  All three received overwhelming support from the full delegation.

Resolution #6-16: Engage CMS as Partners to Eliminate Practice Barriers

Resolution #7-16: Value Based Payment & Alternative Payment Models Effect on Solo & Small Group Practice

Resolution #13-16: Member Toolkit For Value Based Payment Inclusion and Advocacy

The NYSPMA delegation played a major role in the rewrite of Resolution #5-16: Vision 21st Century, adding stronger language, raising awareness of the role DPMs play in improving outcomes, and reducing complications and costs associated with lower extremity pathology. And charging the APMA BoT with reaffirming its commitment to helping ensure access to all health care delivery systems and to compensation comparable to all other physicians. A special thanks to Paul Liswood and Vito Rizzo for spearheading the rewrite.

New York signed on as a co-sponsor of Resolution #11-16: Encourage Component Societies To Consider 5.4 Status for Part-time Practitioners Who Are Experiencing Financial Hardship. This practice has long been part of NYSPMA’s 5.4 consideration and we felt strongly about encouraging others to establish similar policy.

Finally, the New York delegation lead a coalition of states who had concerns about the low enrollment numbers for our colleges of podiatric medicine. New York worked with APMA to add the topic to its emerging issues forum Monday. The end result of our initiative is a Student Recruitment Stakeholders Meeting June 7 in Baltimore.