NAAOP Advances Veterans Bill of Rights and O&P Parity Legislation
NAAOP
Description
Collection
Title:
NAAOP Advances Veterans Bill of Rights and O&P Parity Legislation
Creator:
NAAOP
Date:
5/6/2009
Text:
NAAOP Advances Veterans Bill of Rights and O&P Parity Legislation
NAAOP leaders met with key House members in April to advance major federal
legislation for users of orthotics and prosthetics and the providers who
serve them. Tom Guth, C.P., NAAOP President, took a lead role in advocating
for both an Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights as well as federal
O&P parity legislation. The timing of these Capitol Hill visits could not
have been better.
Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights: In the 110th Congress, NAAOP
was successful in working with Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of
the House Veterans Affairs Committee, to introduce legislation to create a
Bill of Rights for veterans in need of O&P care. The bill, H.R. 5730,
called for the development of a list of rights applicable to all veterans to
be displayed at every VA O&P clinic across the country. The legislation
enumerated the list, including the right to high quality O&P care, access to
appropriate technology, consistent O&P care throughout the country, a right
to a second opinion if particular componentry is denied, and the right to
choose a private O&P practitioner, with or without a VA contract. This bill
was the subject of a legislative hearing and was supported by over ten
disability and veterans organizations. It was also supported by the VA,
according to Fred Downs, Head of the VA's Prosthetic and Sensory Aids
division at the VA, who testified at the legislative hearing.
Chairman Filner committed to Tom Guth, his constituent, to reintroduce this
bill again in the 111th Congress and vowed to get it passed this year. The
bill will be improved this year by adding a section on enforcement of these
rights. The rights will not permit a veteran to sue the VA if there is a
dispute. However, the bill will now state that the VA must visibly post the
list of rights in an accessible location in every VA O&P clinic in the
country and establish a dedicated toll-free phone number at the VA,
supported by an ombudsperson, to field calls from veterans with complaints
and work out any disagreements about access to O&P care. NAAOP will alert
its members and the larger O&P field when the bill is introduced.
Federal O&P Parity Legislation: NAAOP also advocated for passage of the
federal O&P parity legislation, bipartisan legislation to help ensure
adequate private insurance coverage of orthotic and prosthetic services. The
legislation is scheduled to be reintroduced formally in the 111th Congress
soon. NAAOP joined in the efforts of many others, led by the Amputee
Coalition of America, in supporting this legislation and urging its passage
this year. The timing of this bill could not be better as all of Capitol
Hill is intensely focused on the development of health care policies to
reform the nation's health care system. O&P care is one of those benefits
that must be well understood if it is to be included in any type of basic
benefits package under national health care reform. Federal O&P parity
legislation provides a tremendous opportunity to educate Members of Congress
and staff about the importance-and cost-effectiveness-of covering orthotic
and prosthetic care.
Please visit our website at: www.naaop.org
NAAOP
1501 M Street, NW
7th Floor
Washington, DC 20005-1700
e-mail: <Email Address Redacted>
(800) 622-6740
(202) 624-0064 Phone
(202) 785-1756 Fax
www.naaop.org
NAAOP leaders met with key House members in April to advance major federal
legislation for users of orthotics and prosthetics and the providers who
serve them. Tom Guth, C.P., NAAOP President, took a lead role in advocating
for both an Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights as well as federal
O&P parity legislation. The timing of these Capitol Hill visits could not
have been better.
Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights: In the 110th Congress, NAAOP
was successful in working with Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of
the House Veterans Affairs Committee, to introduce legislation to create a
Bill of Rights for veterans in need of O&P care. The bill, H.R. 5730,
called for the development of a list of rights applicable to all veterans to
be displayed at every VA O&P clinic across the country. The legislation
enumerated the list, including the right to high quality O&P care, access to
appropriate technology, consistent O&P care throughout the country, a right
to a second opinion if particular componentry is denied, and the right to
choose a private O&P practitioner, with or without a VA contract. This bill
was the subject of a legislative hearing and was supported by over ten
disability and veterans organizations. It was also supported by the VA,
according to Fred Downs, Head of the VA's Prosthetic and Sensory Aids
division at the VA, who testified at the legislative hearing.
Chairman Filner committed to Tom Guth, his constituent, to reintroduce this
bill again in the 111th Congress and vowed to get it passed this year. The
bill will be improved this year by adding a section on enforcement of these
rights. The rights will not permit a veteran to sue the VA if there is a
dispute. However, the bill will now state that the VA must visibly post the
list of rights in an accessible location in every VA O&P clinic in the
country and establish a dedicated toll-free phone number at the VA,
supported by an ombudsperson, to field calls from veterans with complaints
and work out any disagreements about access to O&P care. NAAOP will alert
its members and the larger O&P field when the bill is introduced.
Federal O&P Parity Legislation: NAAOP also advocated for passage of the
federal O&P parity legislation, bipartisan legislation to help ensure
adequate private insurance coverage of orthotic and prosthetic services. The
legislation is scheduled to be reintroduced formally in the 111th Congress
soon. NAAOP joined in the efforts of many others, led by the Amputee
Coalition of America, in supporting this legislation and urging its passage
this year. The timing of this bill could not be better as all of Capitol
Hill is intensely focused on the development of health care policies to
reform the nation's health care system. O&P care is one of those benefits
that must be well understood if it is to be included in any type of basic
benefits package under national health care reform. Federal O&P parity
legislation provides a tremendous opportunity to educate Members of Congress
and staff about the importance-and cost-effectiveness-of covering orthotic
and prosthetic care.
Please visit our website at: www.naaop.org
NAAOP
1501 M Street, NW
7th Floor
Washington, DC 20005-1700
e-mail: <Email Address Redacted>
(800) 622-6740
(202) 624-0064 Phone
(202) 785-1756 Fax
www.naaop.org
Citation
NAAOP, “NAAOP Advances Veterans Bill of Rights and O&P Parity Legislation,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 12, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/230147.
