STAND UP for your
PROFESSION! It was said that Caesar fiddled while Rome burned. Our profession is on fire and at threat of being diminished to a state that will make it impossible for us to accomplish our mission. The stakes are high and the risks of our ability to provide quality care are becoming more and more difficult. Yet, we still have those who say it is not my business or I can not make a difference. What will it take to get those who stand on the sideline involved so they will help those who carry the ball? Will it require that... A
our service be constantly backed up with physician notes?
A we face our business doors being closed? A
we be questioned about whether or not our service is essential?
A
we be faced with encroachment from other professions?
A
we spend more time doing the paperwork required to provide a service than the time it takes to do the service?
A
we receive reimbursement that is so poor it becomes more and more difficult to keep the doors open?
A
individuals change professions due to the complexity of operating in our present environment?
I could go on but it would do no good. We all know what the problem is and yes, we know what the answer is. You need to say I am mad as hell and I am not going to take this anymore. How you can have a voice is thru the AOPA Political Action Committee.
Being at the AOPA Wine Tasting and Auction Fundraiser shows your support for AOPA government relations efforts. Therefore, we ask that you help in these Healthcare battles by BIDDING HIGH AND BIDDING OFTEN!!!
Our PAC is fighting all those problems listed above and many more. The only problem is that it is too small and does not have enough funds to do the job we need done. I once made the statement “you donate to your church, your school and to other charities, but you do nothing to insure that you can continue to support those causes”. By that I mean, donate to your PAC to insure that your profession and livelihood will be represented and protected. But to insure these rights, it costs money to educate our legislatures and representatives. If our elected officials do not understand who we are and what we do, then that is our fault. It is the responsibility of everyone who is associated with this industry to stand up and be counted by their numbers and funds. Liberty is not cheap and the right to practice your profession is not either. All of us must stand up and be counted with our time, talents and funds. You can no longer stand by and watch our profession go up in flames. Please do this for yourself, your family,and your future. If you have not signed a PAC authorization form - DO IT NOW. The law says you must agree to be solicited for a contribution. If you have signed an authorization form, then you know what to do next! But Please DO IT NOW. Rick Fleetwood, PAC Chair
This year’s event will be on Thursday, Sept. 19, during the 2013 O&P World Congress in Orlando. For more information, contact Devon Bernard at dbernard@aopanet.org.