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Federal Advocacy Forum 2008 Highlights
More than 200 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and
students of physical therapy traveled to the nation's capital to take
part in the March 30-April 1, 2008, Federal Advocacy Forum.
Following two days of educational and grassroots programming,
participants met with members of Congress and staff to demand action on
important issues. During the meetings, participating physical therapy
advocates emphasized key issues pending before Congress, such as the
need to remove arbitrary financial caps on outpatient rehabilitation
services, the importance of debt repayment for physical therapy students
choosing to practice in underserved areas, and the benefits of accessing
physical therapist services without physician-referral requirements.
This year's event, held at the Washington Court Hotel in Washington,
DC, included grassroots-strategy discussions and a variety of speakers,
including Congressman Frank Pallone Jr (D-NJ), Congressman Greg Walden
(R-OR), who won the 2008 Public Service Award, and political strategist
and commentator Donna Brazile.
Political commentator Donna Brazile began the forum with a discussion on
developments in Washington and on the presidential campaign trail. |
APTA Vice President of Government and Payment Advocacy Dave Mason
provided an outline on top policy priorities in 2008. |
Referral for Profit Committee Chair Fran Welk, PT, DPT, MEd, (left) and
APTA Associate Director of Payment Policy & Advocacy Roshunda
Drummond-Dye (right) discussed referral-for-profit efforts at the state
and federal levels. |
Beltway consultants Mark Isakowitz (middle) and Steve Elmendorf (right)
participated in an spirited debate on the 2008 elections hosted by APTA
Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs Justin Moore, PT, DPT
(right). |
Thomas Valuck, MD, JD, Medical Officer and Senior Advisory for the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), outlined federal
pay-for-performance initiatives. |
Jennifer Friedman (left) of the House Committee on Ways and Means and
William Wynne of the Senate Finance Committee discussed the 2008 health
care debate in Congress. |
Oregon participants Ricci Susick, PT, MPT, and Stacey Cochran Comstock,
PT, DPT, met with Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR), who was presented with
the 2008 Public Service Award for his support for physical therapy. |
Participants from the American Physical Therapy Association of New
Jersey met with Congressman Frank Pallone Jr (D-NJ) before his April 1
presentation on health care issues. |
Carolyn Bloom, PT, of Kansas was presented with the 2008 Legislative
Leadership Award from APTA President R Scott Ward, PT, PhD. |
Members of the Michigan Physical Therapy Association discussed physical
therapy issues with Congressman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) at his Capitol
Hill office. |
[Last updated: 04/10/08 | Contact: advocacy@apta.org]
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