05/23/2024    Robert G. Smith, DPM MSc, RPh

Congressional Votes Can Affect the Future of Podiatry

As PM News readers remember, the Congressional
House on December 12, 2023, voted 386-37 to pass
legislation (H.R. 4531) that would reauthorize key
SUPPORT Act programs for patients with substance
use disorder and permanently extend required
Medicaid coverage for medication-assisted
treatments.

A highlighted summary as well as specific text of
HR 4531 gives podiatric physicians with a DEA
registration number the autonomy they need to
fulfill their 8-hour DEA-MATE required training
from CPME approved courses.

The House sent HR 4531 to the Senate received by
the senate Senator-Dr. Bill Cassidy (orthopedic
physician) as the sponsor to be added as part of
the text SB 3106 read twice and referred to the
committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension
on December 13, 2023. A concern is felt as this
Senate bill is reviewed on All Info - SB.3106 -
118th Congress (2023-2024): SUPPORT for Patients
and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2023 |
Congress.gov | Library of Congress and
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/118/s3106
no action has been recorded.

Further, the prognosis for this SB 3106 is recorded
as only 4%; thus, our professional’s autonomy
regarding fulfilling our 8-hour DEA-MATE required
training from CPME approved courses is in jeopardy.
Coupled with the fact that both houses are only in
session for 54 days and the Senate on its own is
only in session for 15 days for the rest of
calendar year 2024 will undoubtedly impact passing
SB 3206.

I have called and emailed Senator Cassidy
expressing the need for action on this legislation
without a response. I hope podiatric professional
organizations will again request their membership
to notify Senator Cassidy as well as their own
Senators to move this legislation through committee
to a roll call vote.

APMA has posted a letter to the eAdvocacy website
that makes it easy for all of us to take action to
push for passage of this important bill.
https://apma.quorum.us/campaign/51145/ Please do
your part to resolve this issue for the profession
and send a pre-written letter to your US Senators
today and every day until the bill gets a vote!

Robert G. Smith, DPM MSc, RPh, Ormond Beach, FL

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