G ove r n men t Re lat ions
Fuel for the Journey
by John Basial, Government Relations Coordinator
As the weather turned warmer and spring started to seem like
a real possibility, the General Assembly looked past the annual
state budget hearings and turned its attention to setting
priorities and getting a budget done by June 30. I’ll go out on
a limb and say this year’s budget will be done before the June
30 deadline.
As green growing things began to poke their way through the
remaining snow and brown grass, those same grassroots
continued to stretch upward in Pennsylvania politics. It’s been
said that the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The
second best time is now. It’s the same way in political advocacy.
I encourage you to contact and meet with your state
representative and senator very soon. It makes sense to contact
them and start to develop the relationship now. You can take
them to lunch, drop off a business card with your cell phone
number and offer to be a resource for them on dental issues,
insurance and the challenges of running a small (or large)
business. You’ve forgotten more about those topics than your
elected officials will ever know. One PDA member, Dr. Darlene
Oleski (Government Relations Committee chair), saw U.S.
Senator Bob Casey at a Scranton high school basketball game.
She asked him if he had some time to talk. As they spoke and
Sen. Casey began to become aware of the things that she, as a
dentist, experiences, his response was, “I’m thinking about
things in a completely different way.” You, as a dentist, know a
lot of things. You take that knowledge for granted. Most people
don’t know the things you know – or have your real world
experience. You need to share your wealth of experience to
help yourself, your patients and your profession.
Another outstanding example of a proactive PDA member is
the great work put in by Dr. Linda Himmelberger (ADA Trustee).
She recently met with her Pennsylvania House member to gain
his support for SB 373 Assignment of Benefits. Who did she
bring along with her to help her speak with her legislator? The
dentist who was circulating that representative’s nominating
petitions. Genius!
These are just two examples of the many ways it can be done
and how creating a personal relationship with your legislator
moves the dental legislative agenda forward. You are not
limited to copying what Dr. Oleski and Dr. Himmelberger did.
There are countless ways for you to make a contact and make a
difference for yourself and your profession. Feel free to use your
creativity and personal experience to tailor your grassroots
outreach to suit your personal style and experience.
Part of your professional mission is to dispel ignorance. There
are more false ideas about dentistry and dentists circulating out
there than you can imagine. You owe it to yourself and your
colleagues to explain why things are the way they are and how
to make them better.
As a resource you can be invaluabl e to an elected official when
it comes time to help with an insurance question, a constituent
issue or a topic they don’t understand but in which you are an
expert.
If you dig your well before you are thirsty you will never be
thirsty. Planning ahead by helping them with their goals they
are more likely to be receptive to helping you with yours.
Legislation and regulatory change can, sadly, take years. In that
time there are many pitfalls, starts and stops along the way.
Being a resource can bring a bill that is dead back to life.
Plus you’ll stand out from everyone else by not coming to them
first with your hand out and asking them for something.
Grassroots Happenings
In mid-March, leaders from PDA’s Board of Trustees and
Government Relations Committee had dinner with the members
of the House Insurance Committee. This dinner had been
postponed three times due to scheduling conflicts with the
House of Representatives. It was worth the wait. Majority
Appropriations chair Rep. Stan Saylor was our guest speaker
and he did a tremendous job. He shared with House members
and PDA members that SB 373 Assignment of Benefits was his
big priority and he would be with us every step of the way.
Rep. Saylor is one of the best people in the legislature and a
man of his word. He has helped us in the past and he is a true
friend of PDA. PDA President Dr. Jim Boyle makes it a point to
meet with his friend Rep. Saylor routinely and keep in contact so
that the relationship is always being refreshed. Please feel free
to thank Rep. Saylor and make a PADPAC contribution so we
can continue to support those who understand your profession
and how important it is to your patients and Pennsylvania. We
still have a long way to go on SB 373 but we are getting closer.
I’d like to personally thank the PDA members who came to the
dinner and made it such a success: Drs. Brice Arndt, Jim Boyle,
Brian Christian, Steven Grater, Charles Incalcaterra, Cindy
Olenwine, Darleen Oleski, Bill Spruill and Matt Zale. Thank each
and every one of you VERY much for taking the time away from
your families, your commitments and your practices to drive
to Harrisburg and spend some time doing the nuts and bolts
of grassroots work that takes time but pays huge dividends.
We made significant progress in moving our legislative agenda
MAY/JU N E 2018 | P EN N SYLVAN IA DEN TAL JOURNAL
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