News Archives

APMA is pleased and proud to announce that the Alabama Podiatric Medical Association (ALPMA) has succeeded in its long-term efforts to modernize the Alabama scope of practice statute. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) signed Senate Bill 28 into law on May 3, updating podiatrists’ scope to include the ankle. The bill will take effect August 1.

Among the topics discussed at the meeting were the Same or Similar update, the transition to NPE East/NPE West, competitive bidding, and legislative updates.

APMA representatives participated in the AMA/Specialty Society RVS Update Committee (RUC) meeting April 26–29 in San Diego.

APMA met with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on April 28 to discuss regulatory avenues for correcting the omission of references to podiatric physicians, APMA, or CPME in its original statutory language and subsequent guidance. We have created a resource page for members.

APMA’s highly anticipated Spring Virtual Coding Seminar was held on Saturday, April 22.

Last week, in conjunction with its Health Policy and Practice Committee Initiatives and Strategic Plan, APMA met with its Private Insurance/Medicare Advantage consultant to review and update its strategy related to private insurance matters.

The US Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has announced its plan to review Medicare fee-for-service claims and Medicare Advantage encounter data for remote patient monitoring services.

At this time, the NPEast and NPE West DMEPOS contractors may require suppliers to provide copies of contracts that establish their relationship with vendors at the time of enrollment/re-enrollment application.

Last week, APMA submitted comments in response to the solicitation by Mathematica to develop and test the Diabetic Foot Assessment and Follow-Up clinical quality measure (CQM) and electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM).

Mark your calendars for APMA 2023 Advocacy Week, May 8–12, to advocate for the future of the profession.

While APMA is working with Congress to obtain a technical correction for the law as well as outreach to SAMHSA to add APMA as an approved entity, we have identified a pathway forward for members whose renewal for licensure is on or shortly following the June 27 deadline.

APMA is deeply saddened by the loss of California member Franklin Kase, DPM. Dr. Kase died in March after a protracted illness. Dr. Kase was extremely active in California and at the national level in podiatry’s payer advocacy efforts. He was instrumental in APMA’s victory with Anthem, where an onerous policy would have significantly cut reimbursements for evaluation and management (E/M) services billed with CPT modifier 25.

All seven Part B Medicare Administrative Contractors have announced a multi-jurisidictional CAC meeting to discuss the evidence relating to trigger point injections.

National Public Health Week (NPHW) is April 3-9. The American Public Health Association (APHA) Foot & Ankle Health (FAH) Section is celebrating with educational webinars covering a different facet of public health each day.

The CMS PIMMS team was receptive to APMA’s feedback on better communication about measure information and indicated interest in collaborating with APMA on a path forward for a meaningful MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) for podiatric physicians.

APMA has heard from numerous members regarding the recently released guidance about the updated one-time training requirements for any DEA-registered practitioners on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders: the Medication Access and Training Expansion Act, or MATE Act.

The APMA Center for Professional Advocacy (CPA) is again offering the Young Physician Advocate Scholarship for a young physician member to attend.

Under the new policy, providers must submit office notes with claims submitted with E/M CPT® codes 99212, 99213, 99214, and 99215 and a 25 Modifier when a minor procedure is billed.

The APMA House of Delegates convened in person in Washington, DC, on Saturday. Guest speakers addressed the house, bearing greetings from our physician peers and messages of thanks for the work of the house.

On Saturday, March 18, Sylvia Virbulis, DPM, was installed as APMA president by Carroll D. Kratzer, DPM.