Dear O&P Professional:
The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics, both individually and in partnership with other O&P organizations, has consistently sought to separate legislative and regulatory treatment of professional O&P care from the provision of durable medical equipment. These efforts have been largely successful through the years, witnessed by more favorable treatment for O&P in the area of Medicare fee schedule freezes and competitive bidding. These victories have been accomplished through years of persistence. In fact, there are now laws on the books that were written to protect Medicare beneficiaries from receiving substandard care from individuals who are not qualified to provide professional O&P care to Medicare beneficiaries. This battle was won because NAAOP and its allies in the O&P field finally convinced legislators that the provision of O&P care is complex, clinical, and critical for Medicare patients with orthopedic conditions and disabilities.
CMS regulators are now interpreting these laws as they relate to the establishment of quality standards and accreditation requirements. This matter deserves your attention because you and your patients will suffer if non-qualified suppliers are permitted to provide care to patients, and bill the Medicare program for it. It is again necessary to use the arguments that convinced legislators to press the case with regulators interpreting the statutes. To do this, the O&P profession must put a human face on the issue of quality standards and the adverse consequences of O&P patients receiving care from individuals not qualified to provide professional care.
You may have the evidence needed to advocate for your patients and your profession. You can help! Please provide NAAOP with specific examples of the effect of non-qualified individuals providing O&P care. When providing these examples, please provide as much evidence as possible, giving facts, including timeframes, disclosing only what you know, and do not include information that would identify a particular patient. If you have questions, please call NAAOP at 800-622-6740 or e-mail us at info@naaop.org. We want to hear from you.
O&P is a relatively small profession and in order to compete in the larger healthcare arena we must continue to present a factual and compelling account of the threats facing O&P patients and professional O&P care.
Please share this information with a colleague.
Join your NAAOP colleagues in our efforts. Add your voice. Defend professional O&P patient care.
Respectfully,
Mark DeHarde PresidentGeorge W. Breece Executive DirectorPeter W. Thomas General Counsel
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