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?