Virginia, Politics and Audits
Scott Williamson
Description
Collection
Title:
Virginia, Politics and Audits
Creator:
Scott Williamson
Date:
3/14/2013
Text:
To all of you with practices in Virginia:
This week, AOPA held the Policy Forum in DC where we were provided an update
on legislative activity at the Federal level, as well as an update on the
OPGA, Alliance and AOPA's efforts to find relief from the current CMS audit
fiasco.
The best news is that Congressman Rob Wittman (First District, Republican)
actually met with Dave Longo and me yesterday. He was familiar with RACs
and the bounty hunter system that CMS has employed and he is sympathetic
to the O&P situation. I believe Congressman Wittman will join in the
signing of a letter AOPA has written a letter to HHS, sponsored by Reps
Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Guthrie (R-KY).
Representative Moran was also receptive to the letter, according to his
staff and will also, most likely, sign on.
We met with Senator Kaine's (D- VA) office staff and Senator Warner's
(D-VA) office staff. They were a bit more cautious about signing on, but
asked about the impact of these audits on Virginia business. We were not
able to answer that question.
Please take 10 minutes TODAY, and write a quick, but thorough note to your
senators giving them examples of how the audits have withheld payment from
you for issues that are beyond your control (physician notes) and let them
know what percentage of the withholds you have successfully appealed and/or
are currently in appeal (and how long it took to get your money back). Make
sure they understand the economic impact on your business and whether you
have had to close any offices, are contemplating closing an office, or have
had to cut back staff or reduce hours. Virginia jobs are important to them.
So is unfairness. Audits are not the problem, it is the presumption of
guilt and the ultimate finding of innocence that wastes taxpayer dollars
that will ring with them. If the audit process has caused you to slow down
your patient interventions while you await supporting documentation that is
beyond your control, share that with them too.
(Maureen Henry in Senator Warner's office <Email Address Redacted>
and Maribel Ramos in Senator Kaine's <Email Address Redacted> )
Please take a few minutes to write to these people. It is the single most
important thing you can do today.
Scott Williamson
Quality Outcomes Customer Service
(800) 986-3004
(540) 412-1429
Follow us
on Facebook
< <URL Redacted>> Facebook
This week, AOPA held the Policy Forum in DC where we were provided an update
on legislative activity at the Federal level, as well as an update on the
OPGA, Alliance and AOPA's efforts to find relief from the current CMS audit
fiasco.
The best news is that Congressman Rob Wittman (First District, Republican)
actually met with Dave Longo and me yesterday. He was familiar with RACs
and the bounty hunter system that CMS has employed and he is sympathetic
to the O&P situation. I believe Congressman Wittman will join in the
signing of a letter AOPA has written a letter to HHS, sponsored by Reps
Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Guthrie (R-KY).
Representative Moran was also receptive to the letter, according to his
staff and will also, most likely, sign on.
We met with Senator Kaine's (D- VA) office staff and Senator Warner's
(D-VA) office staff. They were a bit more cautious about signing on, but
asked about the impact of these audits on Virginia business. We were not
able to answer that question.
Please take 10 minutes TODAY, and write a quick, but thorough note to your
senators giving them examples of how the audits have withheld payment from
you for issues that are beyond your control (physician notes) and let them
know what percentage of the withholds you have successfully appealed and/or
are currently in appeal (and how long it took to get your money back). Make
sure they understand the economic impact on your business and whether you
have had to close any offices, are contemplating closing an office, or have
had to cut back staff or reduce hours. Virginia jobs are important to them.
So is unfairness. Audits are not the problem, it is the presumption of
guilt and the ultimate finding of innocence that wastes taxpayer dollars
that will ring with them. If the audit process has caused you to slow down
your patient interventions while you await supporting documentation that is
beyond your control, share that with them too.
(Maureen Henry in Senator Warner's office <Email Address Redacted>
and Maribel Ramos in Senator Kaine's <Email Address Redacted> )
Please take a few minutes to write to these people. It is the single most
important thing you can do today.
Scott Williamson
Quality Outcomes Customer Service
(800) 986-3004
(540) 412-1429
Follow us
on Facebook
< <URL Redacted>> Facebook
Citation
Scott Williamson, “Virginia, Politics and Audits,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/234922.
