Congressional champions recently introduced the Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act, which would modernize outdated Medicare documentation requirements that cause significant delays in care for therapeutic shoes and establish Medicaid coverage parity for podiatrists. To help support the advancement of this priority legislation and facilitate member advocacy, APMA created a new web page where all resources and updates will be published.
APMA sent letters of support to congressional champions for two important pieces of legislation that would strengthen patient access to foot and ankle care: the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act and the Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act.
Representatives Greg Murphy, MD, (R-NC) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY) introduced HR 8163, the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act, which provides the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with more flexibility to adjust physician payment while capping the volatility of year-to-year rate change
April is National Foot Health Awareness Month, and the best way to advance foot care awareness is to urge your member of Congress to cosponsor the Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act. This bipartisan legislation would modernize outdated Medicare documentation requirements that cause significant delays in care for therapeutic shoes and establish Medicaid coverage parity for podiatrists.
APMA would like to congratulate the Tennessee Podiatric Medical Association (TPMA) on a major legislative victory after its scope of practice modernization bill passed both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support.
APMA advocacy staff met with Aetna leadership to discuss prior authorization, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tools in coverage and payment decisions, and ongoing questions related to skin substitute coverage and review processes.
National Government Services (NGS) is one of the seven Part B Medicare Administrative Contractors in the US. NGS will begin operating under a new name on April 1: Wellpoint Federal. Wellpoint reported that this change should have no impact on claims processing or the timing of payments.
During APMA's Legislative Conference, more than 100 podiatrists met with elected officials and congressional staff to address critical issues facing the profession, especially the burden of outdated Medicare and Medicaid policies. The recently introduced Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act took center stage, driving conversations in more than 200 meetings with congressional offices, including 25 directly with members of Congress.
APMA called on CMS to reverse its decision to require prior authorization for HCPCS code L1932—an ankle-foot orthosis essential for treating conditions that impact mobility and function. APMA warns that this requirement could delay access to medically necessary care and negatively affect patient outcomes, particularly for those with ambulatory challenges.
HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) added a new Work Plan project which will examine evaluation and management (E/M) services billed on the same day as minor surgical procedures without modifier 25.
APMA participated in a CAC Engagement Coalition meeting with CMS staff and coalition partners, to discuss ongoing efforts to strengthen engagement with the Medicare LCD process. APMA’s continued engagement is an important part of its larger strategy to ensure podiatrists’ expertise is represented in coverage policy discussions.
APMA responded to a Department of Health & Human Services’ “Request for Information: Diagnostic Imaging Interoperability Standards and Certification,” expressing strong support for improving standards for imaging interoperability.
APMA has two new resources to help with wound care documentation: a webinar hosted by APMA RUC Advisor, Susan Walsh, DPM, MBA, and an article in APMA News from Coding Committee member Jonathon Huey, DPM, and Dr. Walsh.
APMA has submitted a letter to Acumen and CMS regarding the development of the Non-Pressure Ulcer Episode-Based Cost Measure (NPUECM) and requested a meeting to advocate for podiatrists.
APMA staff participated in the AMA National Advocacy Conference that focused on how to advance shared legislative priorities, including meaningful Medicare Physician Payment Reform, reducing administrative burdens caused by prior authorization, and protecting and strengthening access to Medicaid. Following policy briefings from members of Congress, CMS officials, and national health-care leaders, APMA staff took these priorities directly to meetings on Capitol Hill.
APMA’s advocacy impact is strengthened through active participation in the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders (Alliance). We are proud to share the Alliance’s 2025 Advocacy Impact Report, which highlights the collective progress made to advance fair reimbursement, appropriate coverage, and equitable patient access.
APMA adopted a formal position statement on artificial intelligence (AI) and submitted comments to HHS in response to its national Request for Information on the use of AI in clinical care. APMA emphasized that AI should support, not replace, physician judgment. We also raised concerns that opaque algorithms and broad datasets can lead to inappropriate denials, downcoding, and delays in patient care.
APMA continues to work closely with state components on legislative strategy, stakeholder engagement, testimony development, grassroots advocacy, and regulatory outreach across multiple states, including Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Mississippi. Several states are also actively considering adoption of the IPMLC, including Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, and Ohio.
Last week, CMS announced a moratorium on enrollment (and enrollment expansion) for certain medical supply companies. This enrollment moratorium affects medical supply companies whose principal function is to furnish DMEPOS supplies, which does not represent most physician suppliers.
In the MLN Connects Newsletter for February 26, CMS highlighted that it has identified fraud involving stolen Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs) and is increasing monitoring of the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) MBI lookup tool.