US-POLITICS: Exclusion of Orthotic Services in HCFA Competitive Bidding Project

US-POLITICS: Exclusion of Orthotic Services in HCFA Competitive Bidding Project

Dear US OANDP-L Members:

I am writing to you independently, as both a provider and a consumer of
professional O&P healthcare services and as one who is very concerned about
the far-reaching negative effects if HCFA's competitive bidding plans are
applied to professional Orthotic or Prosthetic services. I am also one who
feels, IF WE JOIN TOGETHER, we can take this negative issue and turn it into
an opportunity of substantive change in the misunderstanding of what is a
true O&P healthcare service and what is DME supplies. More importantly, it
is my hope we could seek to achieve appropriate provider standards that would
better assure quality of care to Medicare recipients, while at the same time
provide HCFA with better controls over the costly fraud and abuse by
unqualified O&P providers.

In the following post you will find a copy of a letter I have personally sent
to my US Congressman and Senators, seeking their support to STOP the
inclusion of professional Orthotic healthcare services in HCFA's Competitive
Bidding Demonstration Project being planned. I urge you to review my letter
and consider doing the same! Feel free to use any or all of it, as you see
fit!!

If enough people write to their Congressman and Senators seeking their
support in a similar fashion, I believe we have an excellent opportunity to
raise the conscience of this issue with our US Legislators and begin to
impact a change in the direction HCFA is taking regarding the provision of
O&P healthcare. I even believe we may have the opportunity, using this
issue, to once-and-for-all seek the separation of O&P from DME, as well as
from the adverse and inappropriate DME regulatory controls placed on O&P.
Additionally, using this issue, we can seek the recognition of appropriate
provider standards that will better assure quality of care to those disabled
or injured persons in need of professional O&P healthcare services.

After drafting my letter, I had the idea of giving my staff the opportunity
to get involved by having them sign on to the letter and join me in this
effort…to petition our legislators… to become involved in this issue on our
behalf. This approach will no doubt give letters more impact, if they are
signed by more than one constituent in your State or Congressional District.
Needless to say, this will also give your staff a sense of pride for their
involvement in this important issue.

In addition to getting my staff involved, I am also planning another letter
seeking the signatures of those individuals referred to our Centre for
professional O&P healthcare, as well as their family members to further bring
pressure on our legislators to take action on our behalf.

However you approach this, it is important that anyone signing the petition
be well versed on this issue by your discussing it in detail with them and
providing them with information to read. Various documents and letters
regarding this issue can be printed or downloaded from the any of the
following sites:

NAAOP web site < <URL Redacted> >

AAOP - the Academy web site < <URL Redacted> >

AOPA web site < <URL Redacted> >

ABC web site < http://www.opoffice.org/abc >.

Copies of information from these sights can also be used as excellent
background documents to include when contacting your Congressman and Senators
or educating those in need of or receiving O&P care.

I urge you to get involved with the organization of your choice and take
action or do it on your own. We have an opportunity and an obligation to do
something that will truly effect the future of O&P and assure that the need
for quality O&P healthcare services does not get lost or forgotten in this
issue.

I will also attach my letter in its original format (Word for Windows DOC
format file)
in my post immediately following this post, for those who wish to download it
in its original format. Again, it will immediately follow this post and I
ASSURE YOU, IT HAS BEEN VIRUS CHECKED before it was attached, should you wish
to download it.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the initiative to get involved in this
effort and please encourage others to do the same!

John N. Billock, CPO, Clinical Director
Orthotics & Prosthetics Rehabilitation Engineering Centre
700 Howland-Wilson Road, SE
Warren, Ohio 44484 USA