The philosophy of the Executive Board of The APWCA is that its main goal of "providing education" includes providing information to the lay public, patients and their caregivers regarding health insurance programs. A more informed public will help individuals make better decisions reflecting the health care programs they select.

Additionally, there are many questions regarding health care delivery. The APWCA believes that an informed public can be dynamically involved in an open discussion and debate so that the country as a whole makes decisions in an effective manner regarding these complex issues. This is exemplified by the question of what should health insurance cover. We do not expect automobile insurance to cover all maintenance of our cars. We use it for relatively expensive or catastrophic damage. Should we expect health insurance then to cover all doctors' office visits. Would modifying or eliminating this aspect make insurance more affordable and thus available? Other questions pertain to restricted "health panels" and at times the inability for the patient select their family physician or specialist.

Are global fees affecting the delivery of care? When are they proper and when are they not? The experience of those in the APWCA is that the public at large never heard of global fees and when explained to them most find it confusing and question if such affects the delivery of care. The APWCA calls to question if global fees in wound care are reasonable due to the variable response by patients to treatment regimen. Could such policies be counter productive toward the quality of care and ultimately therefore the cost of providing same. Reimbursement to hospitals, skilled care facilities and home health agencies has been relatively decreased resulting in what some have described as insufficient quantity of well trained professionals to provide care for patients. Another point of concern is the current debate regarding the cost of pharmaceutical products. This problem is countered by the realization that the cost for pharmaceutical research and development requires funding. Lastly one needs to consider how senior citizens and various cultures are differentially impacted by these issues. There are many questions and no clear answers. This organization serves as a conduit through which its educational resources can inform the public at large on all sides of these issues, allowing for active debate and informed decision making to improve the quality of wound care and with this effort increased numbers of positive outcomes and preservation of the lower limb for many patients.

The insurance committee also works closely at times with the legislative committee.  An example of collaborative efforts is the work involved in selecting the supporting references and other information utilized in the correspondence supporting bill H.R. 699.  A copy of that correspondence can be found by viewing the legislation page of this website, or by clicking here.

The APWCA encourages your participation. A large membership provides the critical mass needed to engage the public in these areas of concern while addressing the mission of the organization of providing high quality interdisciplinary education. The objective of these activities is to decrease the morbidity of patients with chronic wounds. WE CAN ACCOMPLISH MUCH WHEN WORKING TOGETHER!  Note that the APWCA is not a lobbying organization, but approaches the above issues through its educational directives.