Overview
Certainly one reason you’ll be contacting your representative or senator is to support or oppose legislation that affects PAs. However, the PSPA also suggests you get to know your legislator first with the goal that he or she will understand the concept of the Physician Assistant before health care legislation crosses his or her desk.
Once credibility is established, PAs bring to the table insight to how issues impact their community, specifically patients within a district, how federal money is being spent there, local statistics, and an ability to provide technical education.

Steps:

1. Visit PSPA’s Governmental Affairs Page to coordinate any efforts and find out the current political atmosphere.
2. Develop an ease of teaching the “PA Basics”, including a PA’s medical training and commitment to team practice with physicians, elaborated in Important Concepts to Convey. Demographic information (found on the Member's Only pages) may be useful in your discussion.
3. Contact the PSPA office for an information packet on PAs for the legislator that can be sent to you for your visit.
4. Search for your legislator by entering your zip code at http://members.aapa.org/vocus/index.htm
5. A personal visit is best and will require an appointment. Click here and follow tips for scheduling congressional visits. For other "Legislative Dos and Don'ts", click here (also provided by AAPA).
6. Send a thank you note after the meeting. A printed letter is best, though e-mail is acceptable, to summarize what happened and to help reinforce the relationship in a busy office. Remember to request a business card from office staff.

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