Member Benefits
CPMA Working for YOU....Working with YOU
Why should you be a member of the Connecticut Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA)? The short answer is BENEFITS - Benefits to you as a podiatric physician and benefits to the profession, which both affect you directly. CPMA and the APMA provide you with benefits and services that are unmatched in other professional associations.
BENEFITS THROUGH ADVOCACY:
- CPMA promotes podiatry through legislative advocacy with the State Legislature and works with APMA with advocacy to the US Congress and through regulatory advocacy with federal government agencies. The Medicare payment system, physician payment reform, national healthcare policy, and ERISA are just a few of the issues facing CPMA daily. Over the past few years, CPMA has been instrumental in putting thousands of dollars back into the pockets of Connecticut DPMs by increasing the physician fee schedule practice expense relative values for foot care services provided by podiatric physicians. By negotiating with Anthem, we have been able to achieve fee parity. Current efforts are underway to bring other insurance companies into line recognizing and reimbursing podiatrists with fee parity.
- CPMA maintains liaisons with other professional organizations, including the Connecticut Medical Association, osteopathic associations, the Connecticut Diabetes Association, and the Connecticut Public Health Commission.
BENEFITS THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION:
- Information about you, your credentials, and all practice locations is made available to the public through the "Find a Podiatrist" section on the CPMA Web site. This section is visited frequently by the general public searching for a local podiatric physician. Our link to the APMA Web site for this information means that no matter where a patient lives, they can find information about you and your practice on-line.
- CPMA’s Web site for the general public provides additional exposure to the podiatric profession. Our new Web site is expected to draw thousands of visitors monthly.
- CPMA and APMA promote podiatry utilizing a number of methods including media relations, public outreach, and strategic advertising. CPMA and APMA communicate its messages to the public using a variety of vehicles such as public service announcements (PSAs), news releases, exhibits at health conferences, and advertisements in health magazines. APMA’s public education program has been recognized by the American Society of Association Executives as the very best association communication program in the country, as well as by PR News for the best public service campaign in 2005, the diabetes program called "Knock Your Socks Off."
- Annually, APMA’s public relations efforts generate more than a million media impressions. This large undertaking helps to position podiatric physicians as the experts in foot and ankle care.
BENEFITS THROUGH INFORMATION: Provided by the APMA
- The APMA News, with timely information on the podiatric medical profession, including columns on practice enhancement and insurance advice. Published ten times each year, the APMA News has received numerous editorial awards for five consecutive years.
- The Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, the scientific journal of the profession. Published six times each year, the Journal received the APEX Award for Publication Excellence in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005, and the Communications Award for Excellence in 2006.
- The APMA Daily eNews and the twice-monthly APMA Alert which inform the membership 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.
- The quarterly APMA Coding Newsletter, which addresses a wide variety of coding issues. Topics range from proper billing of evaluation and management services to changes in new ICD-9-CM and CPT codes.
- Access to APMA and CPMA’s members-only Web site provides valuable information (Medicare and private insurance issues, eNewsroom, press release highlights, JCPMA Online, etc.).
- Access to online material to earn continuing medical education (CME) credits at no cost. APMA’s Recognition Award for Online CME Programs was established to provide CPMA members a convenient, high–quality, and effective way of obtaining online CME credit hours. Online access to these interactive educational programs means members can obtain CME credits at their convenience. After passing the quiz at the end of each course, members can then print out their own certificates.
- 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, managed care reform/patients’ rights, etc.
- The CPMA Annual Scientific Symposium, which is an event that brings together cutting-edge lectures, important hands-on workshops, exciting breakfast symposia, a consistently sold-out exhibit hall, and first-class social events. There is no better meeting in the world for a podiatric physician. The main attraction, as always, is the outstanding scientific program that will offer at least 20 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, coding, and much, much more.
- Thanks to Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation, members can obtain a free membership to PDR.net and mobile PDR. The podiatry-only site enables podiatrists to access accurate and easy-to-use prescribing information.
- Inclusion in the CPMA's online Member Directory(soon to be released), which is a listing of all CPMA members. It is an invaluable resource for contacting your peers and for patient referral.
BENEFITS THROUGH DISCOUNTS:
- Attend the CPMA Annual Symposium, where registration fees for CPMA members are substantially reduced. If your medical malpractice insurance is through PICA, attend the PICA risk management seminar at the APMA Scientific Meeting and earn up to 15% off your annual premium. These savings alone will most likely pay for your membership dues.
- Discounts and savings on all APMA's foot health publications, audiovisual materials, and scientific programs.
- The professional purchase plan discounts from various companies allow APMA members to save on purchases of footwear, insoles, inserts, and shoe dryers.
CPMA members are part of a unified professional fellowship. CPMA provides each individual member the support and fellowship of professional peers.
CPMA IS COMMITTED TO ITS MEMBERS AND STRIVES FOR
EXCELLENCE IN ITS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
CPMA THROUGH ITS AFFILIATION WITH THE APMA IS THE NATIONAL SOCIETY DEDICATED TO THE PROMOTION OF THE ART AND SCIENCE OF PODIATRIC
MEDICINE AND THE BETTERMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.