In Brief: Many health care policy decisions occur at the state level. AAPM&R wants to serve as a resource for those states without PM&R societies.

AAPM&R wants to proactively help interested members organize PM&R societies in 14 states: Alaska, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. In these 14 states, the PM&R specialty may be vulnerable to hostile health policy proposals since physiatrists have not been organized to respond.

Developing a state infrastructure is crucial. Effective participation in legislative/regulatory efforts requires organization within a state PM&R society. All national medical associations rely on a state infrastructure of members to implement grassroots’ campaigns around state legislative/ regulatory proposals. The Academy believes it is critical to have a PM&R society in every state. Organizing these 14 state societies will help to strategi­cally position physiatrists in those states as advocates on crucial medical issues, including care for injured soldiers and veterans, scope of practice, care for the disabled and those with chronic conditions, Medicare physician payment reform, medical liability reform, and coverage for the uninsured.

AAPM&R suggests these options to help states:

1. Contact your state medical society (SMS) and ask about creating a PM&R subsection within your SMS. This model has been used successfully by other states.

2. Consider mobilizing contiguous states into regional state societies.

3. Use a listserv of members in your state and partner with AAPM&R to create a plan for more proactive involvement by these physiatrists.

We want all state societies to become effective advocates for the specialty and to develop constituent relationships with state legislators. Legislation at the state level can move quickly. State society members must know the status of important legislation and be available to call legislators.

AAPM&R wants to hear from members interested in working with us to resolve this issue. Please contact the Academy so that we can assist. We can discuss activities that have been beneficial in other states and recommend resources available on the AAPM&R Web site that can be tailored to fit the needs of your state. Our staff also maintains relationships with AMA and other medical specialty societies, and exchanges information related to legislative and regulatory issues affecting the practice of medicine.

If you are aware of other states without a formal state PM&R society or would like to update this information, please contact Suzanne Butler, JD, manager of legislative affairs, 312-464-9700 or sbutler@aapmr.org.