US state and national politics

US state and national politics

Lots of high flying emotions revolving the recent happenings on capitol
hill.
Here is one more interpretation (PLUS A VERY IMPORTANT REQUEST) of what this
means to the field.

Fact is, professions are regulated on the state level. The feds do not see
their roll in determining professional competency or standards. This
traditionally is a state function that is carried out for virtually all
professional groups. P & O is regarded no differently from pest control,
real
estate, law or medicine. The federal funding bill was in fact successful in
appeasing the GAO. This is certainly evident in our well deserving and long
overdue increase in Medicare reimbursement rates. So lets recognize the
immediate business benefits of the new policy, and recognize AOPA for this
achievement. Only time will tell if the policy change will in fact be
good,
bad, or indifferent for the profession on a whole.

In the state of Florida, meaningful legislation has been implemented which
describes the practice of P & O and sets standards for it's practitioners.
These state laws, set the legal threshold for the participation in the
profession, and are based on educational standards.

I am requesting, that all the participants on this listserver who are board
members of independent state associations to reply to me personally so that
we can begin dialogue and communication between us. In essence, we should
explore the development of a Federation of independent state P & O
associations.

This is why:
There are many issues that effect us nationally but ruled on a state level.
For instance, we are currently in a situation, nationally, where PT's desire
to change their own license, state by state, giving them the true legal
reign
to encroach into P & O. Just coincidentally this follows changes to federal
reimbursement policy...... This is a situation which must be dealt with on
a
state level. I think it's time for state associations to begin sharing
knowledge and resources so that we can have stronger national/federal
influence and be more effective in our own states. We are painfully aware
that there is currently no national group which represents (without designed
limitation) the professional standards and the sentiment of P & O
professionals as a whole. So we are left in default, to have no
representation, to represent ourselves, or to be misrepresented by our
established friend, and controlling partner AOPA. We have had many
passionate feelings surface about the credibility of the people representing
us in Washington. Perhaps it is time that we, as independent (meaning no
national affiliation) state associations, partner for meaningful practice
standards throughout the US. This collaboration is long overdue, and I
believe very needed in light of current industry politics.

If you would like to be part of a forum for communications between the
independent state associations, please reply to me personally with your
thoughts, Ideas, or just your name, state and position.

Sincerely,

Wade Bader, CPO, LPO
Tampa Florida,
Treasurer FAOP
(Florida Association of Orthotists & Prosthetists, an independent state
association)