Re: Legislative Action Alert--California Practitioners
Philip Tamoush
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: Legislative Action Alert--California Practitioners
Creator:
Philip Tamoush
Date:
12/30/2003
Text:
Friends at AOPA and the Academy: I have written our Southern California
amputee support group (MAAF) and am writingmy own letters, but I strongly
urge you to contact the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) who hopefully
by now are maintaining a network of addresses, email and otherwise, in
California, so that consumers/patients can also write letters. It is
really critical that we get amputees at least involved in this. Phil
Tamoush, Amputee and Public Member of ABC
On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 16:44:29 -0500 AOPA < <Email Address Redacted> > writes:
> * * * URGENT LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT * * *
> December 29, 2003
>
> Dear California Practitioners:
>
> On January 12, 2004, the California State Senate Business and
> Professions Committee will consider legislation that would expand
> the
> California Physical Therapy Practice Act to permit physical
> therapists
> (PTs) to prescribe, fabricate and fit patients with any type of
> orthotic
> or prosthetic device and to train patients in the use of prosthetic
> devices. The bill number for this legislation is SB 77.
>
> The O&P profession needs to tell California state senators
> immediately
> that expanding the PT's scope of practice into the orthotics and
> prosthetics field will risk consumer safety and the quality of care
> delivered to patients in California. Moreover, lawmakers should
> know
> that the proposal will likely lead to increased Medi-Cal costs at a
> time
> when the state is facing a severe fiscal crisis and provider
> payments
> continue to come under assault.
>
> The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) and the
> California
> Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (COPA) are making our views on
> this
> legislation known to the Business and Professions Committee. But,
> as
> always, your personal experiences will carry the most weight with
> your
> state senator since you are best qualified to describe how this
> legislation will directly impact California patients in need of O&P
> services. Therefore, we ask that you write a personal letter to
> your
> state senator and relay the following message:
>
> * * * PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO PRESCRIBE, FABRICATE,
> FIT
> AND REPAIR THE FULL RANGE OF ORTHOTIC AND PROSTHETIC DEVICES * * *
>
> Last year, we were able to defeat this measure because of
> significant
> input from the provider community. This input is needed again. If
> PTs
> are successful in California, it
> will be far easier for them to include O&P in other state PT practice
> act expansion efforts. That is why your input on this critical
> issue is
> essential.
>
> Your correspondence should be sent to your state senator as well as
> Senate Business and Professions Committee Chair Liz Figueroa.
> Chairwoman Figueroa's fax is (916) 324-0917.
> Correspondences must be received by January 5, 2004.
>
> You can identify your senator and his or her address by ZIP CODE
> through
> the following Internet link:
>
> <URL Redacted>
>
> To assist you in writing to your state senator, AOPA has included a
> draft letter (below) to serve as a guide. Please feel free to make
> changes to this letter and include your personal views on the issue.
>
> If you have any questions or need additional help writing your state
> senators, contact Walter Gorski at AOPA at (571) 431-0809. Thank
> you
> for your continued efforts on behalf of the O&P field.
> ________________________________________
>
> * * * SAMPLE LETTER * * *
>
> December 2003
>
> The Honorable Liz Figueroa
> California State Senate
> Chairwoman, Business and Professions Committee
> State Capitol, Room 4061
> Sacramento, CA 95814
>
> By Fax: (916) 324-0917
>
> Dear Chairwoman Figueroa:
>
> I would like to express my strong opposition to provisions included
> in
> SB 77 that would allow physical therapists to prescribe, fabricate
> and
> fit the full range of orthotic services to patients as well as fit
> and
> repair prosthetic devices. These provisions are included in
> Subsections
> E and F of Section 1 of the legislation.
>
> As a <PROSTHETIST/ORTHOTIST>, I believe that this proposal is
> clearly
> out of the scope of practice of physical therapists and will have a
> negative effect on consumer safety and the quality of orthotic and
> prosthetic services provided to California residents. To ensure
> that
> patients only receive the highest level of orthotic/prosthetic care
> available, I urge you to eliminate the provisions that would give
> physical therapists the ability to prescribe, fabricate and provide
> any
> orthotic or prosthetic device.
>
> An orthotist is a health care professional who makes, fits, adjusts
> and
> repairs orthotic devices for patients who need added support for
> body
> parts that have been weakened by injury, disease or disorders of the
> nerves, muscles or bones. A prosthetist is a health care
> professional
> who makes, fits, adjusts and repairs artificial limbs for those who
> have
> suffered amputations through injury or illness. Both disciplines
> require extensive professional education, experience and training to
> make artificial limbs or orthopedic braces for an individual
> patient.
>
> It is my firm belief that physical therapists do not possess the
> formal
> education, training and experience necessary to prescribe,
> fabricate,
> fit and repair orthotic and prosthetic devices to patients as would
> be
> permitted by this legislation. Equally important, physical
> therapists
> do not have the proper equipment necessary to ensure correct fitting
> or
> the training necessary to repair the full range of orthotic and
> prosthetic devices available in today's marketplace.
>
> Let me give you an example of what could happen if untrained
> individuals, such as PTs, are allowed to prescribe and provide an
> orthotic or prosthetic device or if someone improperly fits an
> orthotic
> or prosthetic device to a patient. <INSERT YOUR EXAMPLE HERE>
>
> I know you take great pride and care in protecting the quality of
> health
> care services provided in California. Therefore, because of the
> threat
> posed by allowing untrained physical therapists to prescribe,
> fabricate
> and provide orthotic and prosthetic devices, I hope that you will
> eliminate subsection E and F from SB 77.
>
> Thank you for considering my views on SB 77. I would be more than
> willing to discuss this issue with you or your staff. Please call
> me at
> <INSERT PHONE NUMBER> if you have any questions about my concerns.
> I
> will look forward to hearing your views on this matter.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
amputee support group (MAAF) and am writingmy own letters, but I strongly
urge you to contact the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) who hopefully
by now are maintaining a network of addresses, email and otherwise, in
California, so that consumers/patients can also write letters. It is
really critical that we get amputees at least involved in this. Phil
Tamoush, Amputee and Public Member of ABC
On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 16:44:29 -0500 AOPA < <Email Address Redacted> > writes:
> * * * URGENT LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT * * *
> December 29, 2003
>
> Dear California Practitioners:
>
> On January 12, 2004, the California State Senate Business and
> Professions Committee will consider legislation that would expand
> the
> California Physical Therapy Practice Act to permit physical
> therapists
> (PTs) to prescribe, fabricate and fit patients with any type of
> orthotic
> or prosthetic device and to train patients in the use of prosthetic
> devices. The bill number for this legislation is SB 77.
>
> The O&P profession needs to tell California state senators
> immediately
> that expanding the PT's scope of practice into the orthotics and
> prosthetics field will risk consumer safety and the quality of care
> delivered to patients in California. Moreover, lawmakers should
> know
> that the proposal will likely lead to increased Medi-Cal costs at a
> time
> when the state is facing a severe fiscal crisis and provider
> payments
> continue to come under assault.
>
> The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) and the
> California
> Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (COPA) are making our views on
> this
> legislation known to the Business and Professions Committee. But,
> as
> always, your personal experiences will carry the most weight with
> your
> state senator since you are best qualified to describe how this
> legislation will directly impact California patients in need of O&P
> services. Therefore, we ask that you write a personal letter to
> your
> state senator and relay the following message:
>
> * * * PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO PRESCRIBE, FABRICATE,
> FIT
> AND REPAIR THE FULL RANGE OF ORTHOTIC AND PROSTHETIC DEVICES * * *
>
> Last year, we were able to defeat this measure because of
> significant
> input from the provider community. This input is needed again. If
> PTs
> are successful in California, it
> will be far easier for them to include O&P in other state PT practice
> act expansion efforts. That is why your input on this critical
> issue is
> essential.
>
> Your correspondence should be sent to your state senator as well as
> Senate Business and Professions Committee Chair Liz Figueroa.
> Chairwoman Figueroa's fax is (916) 324-0917.
> Correspondences must be received by January 5, 2004.
>
> You can identify your senator and his or her address by ZIP CODE
> through
> the following Internet link:
>
> <URL Redacted>
>
> To assist you in writing to your state senator, AOPA has included a
> draft letter (below) to serve as a guide. Please feel free to make
> changes to this letter and include your personal views on the issue.
>
> If you have any questions or need additional help writing your state
> senators, contact Walter Gorski at AOPA at (571) 431-0809. Thank
> you
> for your continued efforts on behalf of the O&P field.
> ________________________________________
>
> * * * SAMPLE LETTER * * *
>
> December 2003
>
> The Honorable Liz Figueroa
> California State Senate
> Chairwoman, Business and Professions Committee
> State Capitol, Room 4061
> Sacramento, CA 95814
>
> By Fax: (916) 324-0917
>
> Dear Chairwoman Figueroa:
>
> I would like to express my strong opposition to provisions included
> in
> SB 77 that would allow physical therapists to prescribe, fabricate
> and
> fit the full range of orthotic services to patients as well as fit
> and
> repair prosthetic devices. These provisions are included in
> Subsections
> E and F of Section 1 of the legislation.
>
> As a <PROSTHETIST/ORTHOTIST>, I believe that this proposal is
> clearly
> out of the scope of practice of physical therapists and will have a
> negative effect on consumer safety and the quality of orthotic and
> prosthetic services provided to California residents. To ensure
> that
> patients only receive the highest level of orthotic/prosthetic care
> available, I urge you to eliminate the provisions that would give
> physical therapists the ability to prescribe, fabricate and provide
> any
> orthotic or prosthetic device.
>
> An orthotist is a health care professional who makes, fits, adjusts
> and
> repairs orthotic devices for patients who need added support for
> body
> parts that have been weakened by injury, disease or disorders of the
> nerves, muscles or bones. A prosthetist is a health care
> professional
> who makes, fits, adjusts and repairs artificial limbs for those who
> have
> suffered amputations through injury or illness. Both disciplines
> require extensive professional education, experience and training to
> make artificial limbs or orthopedic braces for an individual
> patient.
>
> It is my firm belief that physical therapists do not possess the
> formal
> education, training and experience necessary to prescribe,
> fabricate,
> fit and repair orthotic and prosthetic devices to patients as would
> be
> permitted by this legislation. Equally important, physical
> therapists
> do not have the proper equipment necessary to ensure correct fitting
> or
> the training necessary to repair the full range of orthotic and
> prosthetic devices available in today's marketplace.
>
> Let me give you an example of what could happen if untrained
> individuals, such as PTs, are allowed to prescribe and provide an
> orthotic or prosthetic device or if someone improperly fits an
> orthotic
> or prosthetic device to a patient. <INSERT YOUR EXAMPLE HERE>
>
> I know you take great pride and care in protecting the quality of
> health
> care services provided in California. Therefore, because of the
> threat
> posed by allowing untrained physical therapists to prescribe,
> fabricate
> and provide orthotic and prosthetic devices, I hope that you will
> eliminate subsection E and F from SB 77.
>
> Thank you for considering my views on SB 77. I would be more than
> willing to discuss this issue with you or your staff. Please call
> me at
> <INSERT PHONE NUMBER> if you have any questions about my concerns.
> I
> will look forward to hearing your views on this matter.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
Citation
Philip Tamoush, “Re: Legislative Action Alert--California Practitioners,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 4, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/222180.
