Fw: Consolidation & Politics
Tony Barr
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Collection
Title:
Fw: Consolidation & Politics
Creator:
Tony Barr
Text:
Sorry Zelicopter @aol.com, but you are incorrect.The below was not my statement.This was a post forwarded to the listserve by me authored by another who requested anonymity.
I am not a practitioner merely the consumer!I know of many very capable BOC practitioners.
I have always said that certification does not necessarily mean qaulification!(sorry Lance!!)
The consolidation issue nor state of federal regulation efforts is not a matter of BOC vs ABC .It is, as you pointed out,about accountability! The real problem out there is that in all but two states,Florida (a license)and Mississppi(ABC certification), none is required to have any certification at all to practice O&P services!There is no accountability.
Braces and prosthetics are being massed produced and sold in small, medium and large by vendors.Yet the Industry's trade organization to whom these vendors belong, is attempting to quick fix the fraud and abuse by initiating the concept of two different reimbursement schedules,one for DME dealers and one for the professional!This is like telling the govt. to reimburse less to non professionals than professionals who provide the same product!Do you think you as a practitioner are paying the same for O&P products and supplies that DME dealers are paying to the manufacturer!I think not!AOPA does not want regulation in any shape or form and they want to keep selling without restriction to their vendors.
Just as BOC practitioners, whom had practiced their profession for a minimum of 5 years, were grandfathered into the Florida legislation,ABC and BOC practitoners could be grandfathered to federal legislation that establishes standards for practitioners providing customO&P services.THAT is the way you will stop the fraud and abuse that resulted in the recent knee jerk reaction of the federal $500 million reduction in O&P reimbursement.
What other health care professional is not required to have some standards required of them?
What other health care provider is not required to have a license and some educational knowledge of their profession?
Since you brought up the concept of monoply,who do you think controls the industry and wants to control the profession??
The industry is not the bad guy either.They deserve credit in advancements of technology that has provided better O&P services.
Professionals will have a choice of avoiding industry control by voting no to consolidation this summer and they could immediately reduce or eliminate the proposed reductions in medicare reimbursement by DEMANDING from their federal lawmakers to enact legislation for educational standards for anyone who provides custom O&P services.
But you the indivisual professional will have to take the lead for it appears that the Academy has delegated the responsibility of establishing accountability to the industry!
Tony Barr
----------
Tony Barr wrote: < I think it may already be to late. Control of the industry
is being
handed to the BOC by big business. I know first hand because I
opposed ACPORS a few years back.
And this is a BAD thing? I have never heard of any business where the consumer
of a product was best served by a MONOPOLY! Competition breeds quality,
research, realistic pricing.
With the monopoly of AOPA, I do believe the O&P industry is in need of a
little competition. As Mr Barr stated there is already some fraud and abuse
within the ranks. So I do not think that BOC or anyone else is THE PROBLEM.
Could it be that AOPA is not accountable to anyone but itself?
There are many BOC folks who are as qualified to provide a comfortable
prosthesis or orthosis to patients as the elitest AOPA bunch.
Without accountability, (this goes for all certifying agencies) fraud and
abuse will continue. I personally do not think that consolidation would be
best. I think each agency needs to trim the fat and remain individuals.
Just one Amputee/prosthetists humble opinion.
I am not a practitioner merely the consumer!I know of many very capable BOC practitioners.
I have always said that certification does not necessarily mean qaulification!(sorry Lance!!)
The consolidation issue nor state of federal regulation efforts is not a matter of BOC vs ABC .It is, as you pointed out,about accountability! The real problem out there is that in all but two states,Florida (a license)and Mississppi(ABC certification), none is required to have any certification at all to practice O&P services!There is no accountability.
Braces and prosthetics are being massed produced and sold in small, medium and large by vendors.Yet the Industry's trade organization to whom these vendors belong, is attempting to quick fix the fraud and abuse by initiating the concept of two different reimbursement schedules,one for DME dealers and one for the professional!This is like telling the govt. to reimburse less to non professionals than professionals who provide the same product!Do you think you as a practitioner are paying the same for O&P products and supplies that DME dealers are paying to the manufacturer!I think not!AOPA does not want regulation in any shape or form and they want to keep selling without restriction to their vendors.
Just as BOC practitioners, whom had practiced their profession for a minimum of 5 years, were grandfathered into the Florida legislation,ABC and BOC practitoners could be grandfathered to federal legislation that establishes standards for practitioners providing customO&P services.THAT is the way you will stop the fraud and abuse that resulted in the recent knee jerk reaction of the federal $500 million reduction in O&P reimbursement.
What other health care professional is not required to have some standards required of them?
What other health care provider is not required to have a license and some educational knowledge of their profession?
Since you brought up the concept of monoply,who do you think controls the industry and wants to control the profession??
The industry is not the bad guy either.They deserve credit in advancements of technology that has provided better O&P services.
Professionals will have a choice of avoiding industry control by voting no to consolidation this summer and they could immediately reduce or eliminate the proposed reductions in medicare reimbursement by DEMANDING from their federal lawmakers to enact legislation for educational standards for anyone who provides custom O&P services.
But you the indivisual professional will have to take the lead for it appears that the Academy has delegated the responsibility of establishing accountability to the industry!
Tony Barr
----------
Tony Barr wrote: < I think it may already be to late. Control of the industry
is being
handed to the BOC by big business. I know first hand because I
opposed ACPORS a few years back.
And this is a BAD thing? I have never heard of any business where the consumer
of a product was best served by a MONOPOLY! Competition breeds quality,
research, realistic pricing.
With the monopoly of AOPA, I do believe the O&P industry is in need of a
little competition. As Mr Barr stated there is already some fraud and abuse
within the ranks. So I do not think that BOC or anyone else is THE PROBLEM.
Could it be that AOPA is not accountable to anyone but itself?
There are many BOC folks who are as qualified to provide a comfortable
prosthesis or orthosis to patients as the elitest AOPA bunch.
Without accountability, (this goes for all certifying agencies) fraud and
abuse will continue. I personally do not think that consolidation would be
best. I think each agency needs to trim the fat and remain individuals.
Just one Amputee/prosthetists humble opinion.
Citation
Tony Barr, “Fw: Consolidation & Politics,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 8, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/211309.
