Tentative Schedule
Noon-5:00 p.m.
Registration
1:00-1:30 p.m.
Welcome and Overview
Gregor Bennett, AAPA president, and Tim King, chair, AAPA Government Affairs & Reimbursement Committee (GARC), will preview the conference activities and introduce the players.
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Guest Speaker*
Mara Liasson, National Public Radio National Political Correspondent, will provide her perspective on the prospects for health care legislation and the 2008 political landscape.
2:30-2:45 p.m.
Medicare: It's a Patient Care Issue*
Led by members of GARC and AAPA federal affairs staff, this session will help you communicate why Medicare needs to be amended to allow PAs to order home health, hospice, and skilled nursing facility
care, as well as to provide the hospice benefit to Medicare beneficiaries.
2:45-3:00
Break
3:00-4:45 p.m.
Skill-Building Workshop*
Stephanie Vance, an experienced "advocacy guru," will lead an interactive workshop so you can learn how to make the most of your congressional appointments.
4:45-5:30 p.m.
Developing the PA Message*
Members of GARC and AAPA staff will brief you on the federal workers' compensation program, improving the utilization of PAs in the VA health care system, and federal support for PA education, providing talking points and examples on how each of these issues affects patient access to quality care and what legislators can do to correct the problems.
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Reception
Meet and exchange ideas with fellow PAs in an informal setting while enjoying hors d'oeuvres, wine, beer, and soft drinks.
7:30 a.m.
Breakfast & Send-off to Capitol Hill
Grab a cup of coffee and some breakfast as we make final preparations for the day's congressional visits, review talking points, respond to questions on the logistics of getting to and around Capitol Hill, and make any last-minute adjustments.
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Capitol Hill Visits
Wear comfortable shoes and enjoy your day as a PA lobbyist, meeting with senators, representatives, and congressional staff and educating them about the effects of targeted federal legislation on patient care.
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Closing Reception
Use this time to relax, unwind, and debrief from your meetings on Capitol Hill
and to fill in the congressional visit report forms. Light fare and beverages provided.
*These sessions have been approved for a maximum of 4.25 hours of professional Category I (Preapproved) CME credit by AAPA.
