NAAOP Selects Taylor Haines as the 2024 Breece Fellow!

Senate Introduces Medicare O&P Patient-Centered Care Act

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Breece Fellow Announced:  NAAOP is proud to announce that Taylor Haines has been competitively selected as the 2024 George and Dena Breece Fellow.  The Breece Fellowship is a paid, 10-week, Washington, DC-based program where Taylor will focus on orthotic and prosthetic policy and advocacy in the context of the broader rehabilitation and disability policy agenda.  This year’s candidates were highly competitive and Taylor distinguished herself as an emerging leader in the field who is full of potential.  We welcome Taylor to the Breece Fellowship, which will run from May 20th through July 26th this summer.

 

Taylor grew up in Alaska using a below knee prostheses from a young age.  She is now working and living in Portland, Oregon, as a Community Care Coordinator for Hanger Clinic.  Taylor focuses on patient relations, helping new amputees in her community from amputation to ambulation.  Taylor is passionate about living an active lifestyle and enjoying all that nature has to offer.  She is also passionate about serving the limb loss and limb difference community and helping to make sure everyone can live their lives to the fullest.  You will hear from Taylor directly in upcoming video updates.  To help support the Breece Fellowship, please donate at www.NAAOP.org.

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Medicare O&P Patient-Centered Care Act:  In late March, Senators Warner (D-VA) and Daines (R-MT) introduced in the 118th Congress the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act, S. 3977.  Senators Cornyn (R-TX) and Klobuchar (D-MN) joined the bill as original cosponsors.  The bill is companion legislation to H.R. 4315 in the House, with very few differences between the two bills.  Specifically, the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act would:

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• Prevent fraud by prohibiting “drop shipping” of custom orthoses and prostheses and help preserve access to clinical care;

• Exempt orthotists and prosthetists from competitive bidding in order to facilitate continuity of care; and,

• Help ensure Medicare beneficiaries have timely access to a replacement orthosis if a new orthosis is necessary due to a change in the patient’s medical condition.

 

NAAOP will continue working to try to secure as many Senate (and House) cosponsors of this legislation as possible, as well as trying to help move this bill through the legislative process in a very difficult political environment.  Please go to NAAOP’s Congressional Action Center on the NAAOP website to request your two Senators to cosponsor S. 3977!

 

Medicare Advantage (MA) Webinar:  In a repeat performance, NAAOP recently hosted a webinar on “Challenging Medicare Advantage O&P Denials.”  The webinar was well attended and offered participants an opportunity to ask questions of NAAOP counsel, Peter Thomas, who provided the bulk of the webinar’s content.  Federal regulations that went into effect on January 1, 2024 offer new tools for providers and patients to challenge O&P denials from MA plans through prior authorization or other techniques.  The webinar detailed these new arguments that can be used to overturn MA denials and permit patients to gain access to quality O&P care. A recording of the webinar is available in our Latest News section of the website.