Member Benefits
APMA Working for YOU....Working with YOU
Why join the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA)? Members receive significant benefits:
Benefits through Advocacy:
- Federal Advocacy: APMA promotes podiatric medicine through legislative advocacy with the US Congress and through regulatory advocacy with federal government agencies. The Medicare payment system, physician payment reform, national health-care policy, and ERISA are just a few of the issues facing APMA daily. Over the past few years, APMA has been instrumental in putting more than $100 million back into the pockets of DPMs by increasing the Medicare physician fee schedule practice expense relative values for foot care services provided by podiatric physicians. Considering there are 16,000 practicing doctors of podiatric medicine, that translates into more than $6,250 for every DPM.
- State Advocacy: The APMA State Advocacy program area assists APMA state components and members in state legislative efforts and advances the priorities of podiatric medicine through legal and regulatory advocacy. Through these efforts, APMA and its state components have been successful in updating podiatric scope of practice laws to be commensurate with the education, training, and experience of podiatric physicians and surgeons, and have prevented discrimination by private payers and other health systems. The State Advocacy program area has created a comprehensive, easily accessible online database of state policies and maintains an extensive reference manual of state laws and regulations along with other reference materials for members.
- APMA maintains liaisons with other professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, American Diabetes Association, and American Public Health Association.
Benefits through Public Education:
- Information about you and all of your practice locations is made available to the public through the “Find a Podiatrist” section on APMA's website. This section is visited frequently by members of the public who are searching for a local podiatric physician.
- APMA’s public website provides additional exposure to the podiatric profession. The APMA website receives more than 30,000 visits a month.
- APMA promotes podiatric medicine by utilizing a number of methods including media relations, public outreach, and strategic advertising. Communication vehicles include public service announcements (PSAs), news releases, exhibits at health conferences, advertisements in print and online media, and social media tools.
- Annually, APMA’s public relations efforts generate more than a million media impressions. This large undertaking helps to position podiatric physicians as today's podiatrists, the experts in foot and ankle care.
Benefits through Member Communications:
- APMA News, with timely information on the podiatric medical profession, including columns on practice enhancement and insurance advice. Published 10 times each year, APMA News is the trusted source for today's podiatrist.
- The Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, the scientific journal of the profession. Published six times each year, JAPMA received the APEX Award for Publication Excellence from 2002-2011; the Communicator Award of Excellence in 2006, Award of Distinction in 2009-2011, and the Award of Excellence in 2012; and the Hermes Creative Award in 2008 (Gold), 2009 (Gold), and 2010-2012 (Platinum, the highest level).
- APMA News Brief, which informs the membership by e-mail twice weekly of the latest news about federal and private insurance policies, including Medicare and coding; association governance, meetings and membership benefits; state and federal legislation; drug alerts; and other timely announcements of interest to the profession.
- APMA Weekly Focus is APMA's digital newsletter for members. Delivered to members' inboxes every Tuesday morning, the Weekly Focus provides updates on APMA and its work for the profession, calls to action for members, and links to important news and resources.
- Access to the APMA members' website provides valuable information (Medicare and private insurance issues, customizable tip sheets, press releases, PowerPoint presentations, webinars, event information, APMA News digital edition, and JAPMA Online, etc.).
- Access to APMA’s e-advocacy site, which allows you to communicate directly with members of Congress about issues such as Medicare reform, improving access to health professionals, and managed care reform/patients’ rights.
- The APMA Annual Scientific Meeting (The National), the premier podiatric event of the year, brings together thousands of DPMs from around the country. There are cutting-edge lectures, important hands-on workshops, exciting breakfast symposia, a consistently sold-out exhibit hall, and activities such as the the Team APMA 5K Run/Walk to benefit student scholarships. The main attraction is the outstanding scientific program that will offer at least 25 continuing medical education contact hours. Attend comprehensive presentations in all the areas of practice that matter to you—including surgery, sports medicine, wound care, diabetes care, radiology, primary care, physical medicine and bracing, dermatology, pediatrics, rheumatology, practice management, and coding.
- Inclusion in APMA's online and hard copy version of the Member Directory, a listing of all APMA members. It is an invaluable resource for contacting your peers and for patient referral.
Benefits through Discounts:
The above list does not include all benefits received through membership. Your state component society also has many membership benefits. Please contact your component society for information.
APMA members are part of a unified professional fellowship. APMA provides each individual member the support of professional peers.
Founded in 1912, the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is the nation's leading and recognized professional organization for doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs). DPMs, also known as podiatrists, are recognized as physicians and surgeons, qualified by their education, training and experience to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and structures of the leg. The medical education and training of a DPM includes four years of undergraduate education, four years of podiatric medical education at an accredited podiatric medical college, and two or three years of hospital residency training. APMA has 53 component organizations across the United States and its territories, with a membership of close to 12,000 podiatrists. All practicing APMA members are licensed by the state in which they practice podiatric medicine. For more information, visit www.apma.org.