APMA's 25th Annual Joint National Contractor Advisory Committee-Private Insurance Advisory Committee (CAC-PIAC) Meeting convened virtually on Friday, November 14, drawing representatives from across the country for a full day of education, collaboration, and problem-solving on the evolving payer landscape.
The program opened with remarks from CAC Chair Jodie Sengstock, DPM, and APMA President Brooke Bisbee, DPM, who underscored the importance of adapting to change and sustaining collective advocacy. The day's sessions featured policy, compliance, and data experts offering insights into Medicare, private insurance, and the growing role of CAC and PIAC representatives as state-level advocates.
Highlights included:
"Medicare Now and Next" with Hart Health Strategies' Cindy Moon, MPH, MPP, who provided an outlook on CMS initiatives and MIPS evolution.
"Skin Substitutes – Compliance, Documentation, and Audit Readiness" with David Traskey, Esq., who focused on audit preparedness and clinical documentation.
"Partnering with MACs and CMDs" with Jodie Sengstock, DPM, and Robert Sage, DPM, who explored best practices for engaging with medical directors.
"Medicare Part B Trends" with David Freedman, DPM, who revealed key data insights, including therapeutic shoe utilization.
"Private Insurance Landscape" with Kelli Back, Esq., who addressed AI-driven downcoding and prior authorization trends.
"Turning Advocacy into Action – The Role of a CAC/PIAC Representative," with Gail Reese, JD, Steve Merckx, DPM, and Sarah Abshier, DPM, who led a skills workshop on practical strategies for state engagement and peer collaboration.
The meeting also celebrated 25 years of CAC and PIAC service, recognized Jeffrey Crowhurst, DPM, as the Franklin Kase, DPM, Memorial CAC-PIAC Representative of the Year, and recognized Samuel Gorelik, DPM, as the Rising CAC-PIAC Star.
Participants left energized to continue their work advancing the profession through informed, coordinated advocacy. APMA looks forward to welcoming attendees in person in 2026.
Visit www.apma.org/CACPIAC2025 for meeting resources, updates, and follow-up materials. To learn more about CAC and PIAC representatives and identify your own state representative(s), visit www.apma.org/CACPIAC today.