Legislative Action Alert--California Practitioners

Legislative Action Alert--California Practitioners

AOPA

12/29/2003

* * * 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,