Trent Wallace DPM Meets with Oklahoma Congressmen and Senators to Discuss Podiatric Health Care in Oklahoma

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2015—Podiatrist from Oklahoma City met with Oklahoma congressmen and senators on Capitol Hill today as part of the American Podiatric Medical Association’s (APMA) 2015 Legislative Conference. The annual Legislative Conference, held March 23–25 this year in Washington, DC, brings together APMA members and podiatric medical student leaders from across the nation to pound the pavement for the profession by lobbying members of Congress.

Trent Wallace DPM joined nearly 200 podiatrists and medical students representing 42 states who visited members of Congress to discuss issues facing podiatric medicine and communicate federal advocacy priorities for the 2015–2016 session.

These primary federal legislative priorities include:

• The Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving Access to Podiatric Physicians (HELLPP) Act: Even though foot and ankle care is a covered benefit under Medicaid, access to medical and surgical care provided by a podiatrist is considered optional and is not covered by all state plans. The HELLPP Act remedies this barrier by recognizing podiatrists as physicians just as they are in Medicare.
• Physician Recognition at the Veterans Administration: APMA asks that Congress introduce and pass legislation to modify the Physician and Dentist Pay Schedule to recognize doctors of podiatric medicine. This will help address the ongoing recruitment and retention issues for podiatric physicians employed under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
• Permanent Reform of Medicare’s Physician Payment System (SGR): APMA strongly supports improving the Medicare program by repealing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula; enacting stable, adequate, annual Medicare physician payment updates; and ensuring beneficiaries’ continued access to care.

“The Oklahoma Podiatric Medical Association is dedicated to improving patient access to podiatric services and providing high quality health care to our citizens,” said local podiatrist/board member Trent Wallace. “We will continue to advocate for critical legislation that benefits podiatrists and patients in Oklahoma and across the country.”

Contact APMA’s Legislative Advocacy department at advocacy@apma.org.

About Trent Wallace DPM

Dr. Trent Wallace, founder of Wallace Foot and Ankle Center, is a practicing podiatrist in Oklahoma City.  He is also a serving board member of the Oklahoma Podiatric Medical Association and a state coordinator for the American Podiatric Medical Association.

About The American Podiatric Medical Association

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is the nation’s leading professional organization for today’s podiatrists. Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs) are qualified by their education, training, and experience to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and structures of the leg. APMA has 53 state component locations across the United States and its territories, with a membership of more than 12,000 podiatrists. All practicing APMA members are licensed by the state in which they practice podiatric medicine. For more information, visit www.apma.org.

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