Re: Medicaid funded O and P in Georgia may be headed down the tubes

Re: Medicaid funded O and P in Georgia may be headed down the tubes

tony barr

2/1/2005

Did you ever think that a number of states whom face budget deficits ,
Medicaid depts. are saying to O&P providers,
regulate or we eliminate since they cant force regulation on you.

On numerous occasions, it has been our experience that in several states
including Georgia, applicants and/or their prosthetists have been intially
been informed denials verbally) for prosthetic coverage outcomes. However,
once asked to put the denial in writing, as is a condition of our funding
for rehabilitation, all of sudden the applicant has coverage!!

Tony Barr

-----Original Message-----
From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>] On
Behalf Of David Puckett
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 8:31 PM
To: <Email Address Redacted>
Subject: [OANDP-L] Medicaid funded O and P in Georgia may be headed down the
tubes

 I applaud Mark Kaufman's letter about the efforts of Rusty Kidd in helping
us here in Georgia keep O and P within the Medicaid budget. With his help
and others we were able to keep O and P in the 2004 budget. Can we do it
again in 2005? That is solely up to the Practitioners in Georgia, their
lobbying efforts...within the next month and a half and the donated dollars
to fund Rusty Kidd again.
What I see as paramount, however, in the fight is the Practitioner
involvement. I, personally spent over $1,000 last year in air fare and
additional costs to help keep it alive. I tried to spark a wave in Savannah
to help with this effort, (I couldn't get the competition to see the
importance of this campaign, however.) I met with over 10 Congressmen and
Senators and solicited a lot of patient involvement--- letter writing,
photos and video. I went to Atlanta and spent four separate business days
lobbying these elected officials. We all need to work together and look
beyond competition's boundaries. We will all lose...not just the little
companies!!! I am a small company that helps and services the little guy-
the Medicaid patient. We need to care for these patients and what they are
about to lose.
Send in your money, yes, but call and visit your elected officials. Don't
count on your O and P organizations to save your business, either. It is
not to their financial interest.
We all, together, won last year! Can we do it again? Not without a lot more
involvement this go around. For more info. about this call Mark Kaufman, the
GSOP board or anyone who has been there...done that.

David Puckett, CPO