US POLITICS - CA OP Update May 16, 2010
Ralph Nobbe
Description
Collection
Title:
US POLITICS - CA OP Update May 16, 2010
Creator:
Ralph Nobbe
Date:
5/16/2010
Text:
California OP Update (May 16, 2010)
On May 14, 2010 at 1:00pm PST during the highly successful COPA/WAMOPA
combined Reno meeting, Governor Schwarzenegger released his May budget
revision for 2010/2011 fiscal year.
The much anticipated budget revision PRESERVES the orthotic and
prosthetic benefit under California's Medi-Cal program!
Bryce Docherty, Exec Dir of COPA participated in a Department of Health
and Human Services conference call which further clarified the budget
detail and its impacts upon Medi-Cal services. An announcement was made
to attendees at the combined WAMOPA/COPA meeting in Reno on Saturday May
15.
This victory for OP comes following testimony by COPA to both the
Assembly and Senate Health Committees. COPA's testimony was in concert
with a broader coalition effort to preserve all the optional benefits
previously slated for elimination by the governor. Information about
this coalition and the entire list of optional benefits impacted can be
found at www.savetheoptionals.com
Both committees went further to identify O&P as one of the core benefits
that should not be eliminated. Most all of the other coalition partners
were adversely impacted.
Increased cost sharing for Medi-Cal beneficiaries has been introduced
with the Governor's current budget. Other benefits have been eliminated
or severely reduced. The governor has included new office visit copays,
pharmacy benefit copays, ER visit copays and extensive utilization and
frequency limits for many medical services including physician visits,
physical and occupation therapy. Details will be available on the COPA
website at www.oandp.com/copa as soon as they become available from the
Department of Health Services.
This is a VERY positive event for our industry and O&P patients in
California. However, Californians cannot ignore the treacherous budget
negotiations and reconciliation still pending. California is entering
the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010 with a projected $20Billion
deficit! All COPA efforts to vigorously defend this victory throughout
the upcoming budget reconciliation process will be coordinated through
Bryce Docherty. California does not have a good history of prompt,
smooth budget reconciliation.
Special thanks to AOPA, The Academy, the Amputee Coalition of America
and to all who responded promptly following COPA's request for letters
to their representatives and committee chairpersons.
Additional thanks to the WAMOPA board for coordinating a well organized
and well attended meeting in Reno. Next years event will be May 12, 13
and 14.
--
Ralph W. Nobbe, CPO
Nobbe Orthopedics, Inc.
3010 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 687-7508 tel
(805) 687-6251 fax
<Email Address Redacted>
www.nobbeorthopedics.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic message is intended to be
viewed only by the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. It
may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt
from disclosure under applicable law. Any dissemination, distribution
or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited without our
prior permission. If the reader of this message is not the intended
recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the
message to the intended recipient, or if you have received this
communication in error, please notify us immediately by return e-mail
and delete the original message and any copies of it from your computer
system.
On May 14, 2010 at 1:00pm PST during the highly successful COPA/WAMOPA
combined Reno meeting, Governor Schwarzenegger released his May budget
revision for 2010/2011 fiscal year.
The much anticipated budget revision PRESERVES the orthotic and
prosthetic benefit under California's Medi-Cal program!
Bryce Docherty, Exec Dir of COPA participated in a Department of Health
and Human Services conference call which further clarified the budget
detail and its impacts upon Medi-Cal services. An announcement was made
to attendees at the combined WAMOPA/COPA meeting in Reno on Saturday May
15.
This victory for OP comes following testimony by COPA to both the
Assembly and Senate Health Committees. COPA's testimony was in concert
with a broader coalition effort to preserve all the optional benefits
previously slated for elimination by the governor. Information about
this coalition and the entire list of optional benefits impacted can be
found at www.savetheoptionals.com
Both committees went further to identify O&P as one of the core benefits
that should not be eliminated. Most all of the other coalition partners
were adversely impacted.
Increased cost sharing for Medi-Cal beneficiaries has been introduced
with the Governor's current budget. Other benefits have been eliminated
or severely reduced. The governor has included new office visit copays,
pharmacy benefit copays, ER visit copays and extensive utilization and
frequency limits for many medical services including physician visits,
physical and occupation therapy. Details will be available on the COPA
website at www.oandp.com/copa as soon as they become available from the
Department of Health Services.
This is a VERY positive event for our industry and O&P patients in
California. However, Californians cannot ignore the treacherous budget
negotiations and reconciliation still pending. California is entering
the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010 with a projected $20Billion
deficit! All COPA efforts to vigorously defend this victory throughout
the upcoming budget reconciliation process will be coordinated through
Bryce Docherty. California does not have a good history of prompt,
smooth budget reconciliation.
Special thanks to AOPA, The Academy, the Amputee Coalition of America
and to all who responded promptly following COPA's request for letters
to their representatives and committee chairpersons.
Additional thanks to the WAMOPA board for coordinating a well organized
and well attended meeting in Reno. Next years event will be May 12, 13
and 14.
--
Ralph W. Nobbe, CPO
Nobbe Orthopedics, Inc.
3010 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 687-7508 tel
(805) 687-6251 fax
<Email Address Redacted>
www.nobbeorthopedics.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic message is intended to be
viewed only by the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. It
may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt
from disclosure under applicable law. Any dissemination, distribution
or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited without our
prior permission. If the reader of this message is not the intended
recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the
message to the intended recipient, or if you have received this
communication in error, please notify us immediately by return e-mail
and delete the original message and any copies of it from your computer
system.
Citation
Ralph Nobbe, “US POLITICS - CA OP Update May 16, 2010,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 15, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/231493.
