Why You Should Support The VA Provider Equity Act

On July 9, 2015, a crucial event for the future of podiatric medicine took place. Representative Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) introduced the VA Provider Equity Act (HR 3016) bill in the United States House of Representatives. Most of you out there probably know little if anything about it and the significance this event will play in your future as a podiatric physician.

This bill would define podiatrists as physicians and place them in the same category as medical doctors, osteopathic doctors and doctors of dentistry in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The VHA podiatric physicians are currently classified with optometrists and chiropractors whereas those with MD/DO/DDS degrees remain classified separately. This classification negatively affects doctors of podiatric medicine in programs that provide workforce development incentives such as performance bonuses, loan repayment and scholarship opportunities. In fact, there has been essentially no change in VHA podiatric physician compensation since 1976 except for basic pay and locality rate adjustments. 

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) has been on the forefront of this matter working with Rep. Wenstrup and House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committee members to rectify this critical situation. Ben Wallner (Director, APMAPAC/Associate Director, Legislative Advocacy) has spearheaded the APMA’s efforts to help bring this bill to fruition. Nichol Salvo, DPM, (Director, APMA Young Physician Program and a former VHA podiatric physician) testified before the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee on May 15, 2015.

These efforts have resulted in significant support from the VHA, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Representatives from all these groups testified on behalf of HR 3016 before the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health. This bill is ultimately a veteran’s care issue due to the recruitment and retention issue the VHA has with podiatric physicians. This bill will help to ensure the highest quality of lower extremity healthcare for the veterans who have served our country.

You may be wondering why this affects you if you are not one of the approximately 330 VHA-employed podiatric physicians. This bill rightfully puts our VHA colleagues on the level playing field they deserve but it also becomes a piece of the bigger picture of podiatry's pathway to parity. Every federal legislative action that can move podiatric physicians into the category of a physician in subgroups like the VHA ultimately helps to move the entire profession. Classification as a physician in Medicaid is the basis of the Helping Ensure Life and Limb Saving Access to Podiatric Physicians (HELLPP) Act (HR 1221, S 626). Once podiatric physicians become classified as physicians in all components of the federal government, we move further down the pathway to parity. 

The ultimate goal of all podiatrists is universal parity. Success is often not linear. In order reach this goal, measures like HR 3016 propel us in this direction while addressing a much overdue issue. You can play an important role in this bill’s future by contacting your Congressional representatives via the APMA’s eAdvocacy site at https://APMAeAdvocacy.org/. You can make a difference in your future, our VHA colleagues' future and the healthcare of the veterans who  protect our country.