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National Advocacy DinnerPull up a chair, start the conversation
APTA RI Virtual National Advocacy DinnerThursday, April 16th, 2020
Our Work
Student Loans: National Health Service Corps
Support legislation that adds PTs to the National Health Service Corps • Serves more than 11.4 million underserved
individuals across the nation. • Helps address national opioid crisis• Repays $50,000 in outstanding student loans
Access to Care: The Role of PT in Rural and Medically Underserved Areas
ASK: Co-sponsor H.R. 2802 in the House and S. 970 in the Senate
APTA is committed to increasing diversity in the physical therapy workforce
Workforce Diversity
• Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act (H.R. 3637) passed in the House
• Provides scholarships to qualified people from underrepresented backgrounds
• Increases access to care
ASK: Co-sponsor S. 2747 in the Senate
Medicare 8% Cut Advocacy
• Proposed 8% cut in Medicare reimbursements
• More than 10,000 APTA members submitted comments opposing this rule; two Congressional sign-on letters
• Advocacy continues with possible legislation, legal, or regulatory action
• Visit apta.org to follow the latest updates and ways to take action
Prior Authorization• Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care
Act• Improves prior authorization policies in
Medicare Advantage plans.• Establishes an electronic prior
authorization process• Requires the Secretary of the Department
of Health and Human services to establish a process for “realtime decisions”
ASK: Co-sponsor H.R. 3107 in the House
Community Health Centers
• Primary Health Services Enhancement Act
• Allow PTs to provide care to patients in community health centers and bill Medicare and Medicaid directly
ASK: Co-sponsor H.R. 5693 in the House
State Legislation Update•Copay Bill – Requesting copay/deductible parity with primary care providers
• H7229 – Testified in hearing with Health Education and Wellness (HEW) committee: Held for Study 2/26
• S2225 – Awaiting Hearing in Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee
•School Based PT• H7819 – Referred to HEW Committee – Awaiting hearing• S2240 – Referred to Senate Education Committee – Awaiting hearing
State Legislation Update•Imaging
• H7234 – Testified in HEW on 3/11 – Held for Further Study• S2066 – Read and Passed Senate floor on 2/6, then referred to House HEW
•Compact – Was included in the Governor’s budget for this year so we did not have to introduce anything to the legislature for this
• In contact with the Governor’s staff and the Department of Health to ensure that the language matches FSBPT and that all necessary components to join the compact (i.e. background checks, continuing education, etc.) are included.
•Everything is currently on hold due to the current COVID-19 Crisis•Our Lobbyists, The Mayforth Group, have continued to work with us during this time to get
reimbursement for telehealth and other considerations that PTs will require to provide care for our community.
APTA Grassroots Structure
PTeam
Key Contact
Federal Affairs Liaison
Key Contacts• Goal is for at least 1-2 in each Congressional district• Forms ongoing relationships with their Members of Congress• Provides information on critical physical therapy issues to members of Congress• Keeps FALs and APTA staff informed of advocacy activities• Meets with the member of Congress during Congressional recesses, with a focus on August Recess
In-District PT Practice or School VisitsHost a Practice or School Visit with Legislator• Educate lawmakers on issues• Get others involved• If a legislator doesn’t know how PT works, how
can they help?
How You Can Advocate• Educate legislators on physical therapy –
let them know what you do• Build relationships with legislators for
short and long- term APTA initiatives
• YOU are an important part of APTA’s advocacy structure because:o You’re the constituento You’re the expert!
• Schools compete against each other by completing a variety of advocacy activities
• Students report their activities and earn points
• The winner receives a visit to their school by an APTA staff or Board of Directors member
• Learn more at apta.org/studentadvocacychallenge
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Student Advocacy Challenge
APTA Action App
Advocate in 90 seconds from your phone!
• Available in the app store for Android and Apple
• Search “APTA Action”
• You can easily:• Contact your members of Congress through the
Federal Action Center button
• Give to PT-PAC
• Look at talking points on top issues
• Look up your Members of Congress
Visit the Patient Action Center for non-APTA members (see right)
Take ActionVisit the APTA Legislative Action Center for APTA members (see left)
Check out apta.org/takeaction for more information
Send Letters
Become a Student Star by
donating $20
Sole fundraising organization that provides access to and influence of legislators to champion PT legislative interests at the federal level
Attend PT-PAC fundraisers at APTA events#CoffeeClub for recent grads
Thank You!Questions?