President's Message - April '26

We welcome Spring to the Keystone State. It is a great time of year to take advantage of all the benefits membership in PPMA provides, including travel discounts through our affiliations with The Guild and Union Plus. Union Plus provides travel discounts of up to 50% on hotels, car rentals, discount tickets to amusement parks and attractions in Orlando, and much more. It is one of the ways PPMA recognizes your hard work and reminds you to take time for yourself. As you make your summer vacation plans, maximize your membership benefits and visit Union Plus’s website to save money on your next trip.

Pennsylvania was well represented at last month’s House of Delegates meeting in Washington, D.C., at which Patrick DeHeer, DPM, was elected as President. Student representatives from TUSPM and LECOM were represented on Capitol Hill. The Diabetic Foot Health Access and Modernization Act was discussed to reduce the burdens we are experiencing with Medicare and to address what many consider dated legislation that needs reform.

Our board recently met and discussed several initiatives, including the need to add podiatry to the Fair Contracting Health Care Practitioners Act, enacted last year. We will provide you with updates on this legislation. PA House Bill 1391 (covering DME) continues to be a topic of discussion with our local representatives to ensure they understand the struggles we are facing and that we can meet the needs of our patients. These efforts include supporting Representative Joyce in Pittsburgh during the House of Delegates Meeting. Representative Joyce is one of the House champions of the Diabetic Foot Health Access and Modernization Act.

Our office notified you of updates to Medicare’s Skin-Substitute Reimbursements and the reversal of that decision. At this time, we do not expect any additional billing changes, but reimbursements may be impacted. In the event this occurs, we will keep you informed.

In addition to advocating on your behalf, PPMA continues to ensure that you receive valuable membership benefits you can count on. Preliminary results from our membership benefits survey indicate that our members appreciate the discounts we offer, including professional liability, education through the Goldfarb Foundation, and other discounts.

If you have benefited from PICA liability savings with The Yurconic Agency, won’t you consider telling a friend who would benefit from PPMA membership? We also remind you that OPEIU has a website and an app you can download to learn about everyday savings, including travel, prescription, and retail discounts, and much more. This will allow you to maximize your membership.

The Goldfarb Foundation is accepting registration for the third year of LESS CHAOS (Lower Extremity Surgical Symposium), scheduled to take place May 28-31st at The Loews Philadelphia Hotel. This is a must-attend event with well-known lecturers that residents, fellows, and attendings will want to participate in. Attendings who register for the event will receive a free Resident registration. Members who work with Residents should encourage their Residents to visit The Goldfarb Foundation’s website for more details about this event.

This year’s Clinical Conference is moving from the Valley Forge Casino Resort to the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue, located between Valley Forge and Center City Philadelphia. The event was moved from The Valley Forge Convention Center. This year is a license renewal year, and we expect a big attendance. Members receive a deep discount on this conference, and when combined with any early-bird pricing, can really save big on licensing requirements.

Pennsylvania’s House of Delegates will take place in Pittsburgh this June, and division representatives will be on site to ensure that the entire state comes together as one voice on behalf of podiatrists in Pennsylvania. PPMA is now providing financial management support to many PPMA divisions throughout the state to reduce the burden on division leaders and allow them to focus on bringing members together for education and networking. Members who are considering getting more involved may want to attend a division meeting. If you are unsure which division you are in or would like contact information, please contact our office.