Fwd: please help; call for letters
Jennifer Wolbach
Description
Collection
Title:
Fwd: please help; call for letters
Creator:
Jennifer Wolbach
Date:
6/21/2013
Text:
Dear Colleague[s],
Ever since the release of the attached August 11, 2011 “Dear Physician”
letter, O&P practitioners have been subjected to improper and damaging CMS
RAC audits, many for services predating publication of the letter.
Auditors have compelled return of legitimate Medicare payments while
appeals are pending.
These audits and other ill considered CMS policies are now adversely
impacting not only the full spectrum of O&P and DME providers throughout
the nation, but hospitals as well. In some parts of the country,
significant numbers of small providers have already closed their doors.
Some areas are just beginning to see their first audits. My own company,
Provel, although not involved in patient care, has been indirectly affected
as a manufacturer of automated capital equipment for the O&P industry.
On May 13th AOPA filed suit against Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Kathleen Sebelius, in Federal District Court seeking immediate relief from
the “Dear Physician” letter. Use this link to review the complaint:
<URL Redacted> On May 22nd a new Senate bill
was introduced to address provider concerns about RAC audits. A House bill
seeking to limit the power of audit contractors was introduced in October
and reintroduced in March.
Recently the Small Business Administration has taken up the cause against
unjustified RAC audits. The first of several SBA hearings on this matter
was held June 7th in Seattle. AOPA Executive Director Thomas Fise as well
as several members of our local O&P community offered testimony about their
experience with audits. The SBA is fundamentally concerned with unfair
regulatory enforcement by government agencies.
I’m writing to encourage you to contact your representative and our
senators to make them aware of the damaging consequences of current CMS
audit policy. I’ve attached a list of contact information and a sample
letter for your consideration. Representatives are responsive only to
constituents in their district. If you live an work in separate districts,
please contact the representative for each. Please contact senators thru
the nearest local office or via email. The need to make our concerns known
has never been more urgent. The billion dollar RAC audit industry would
prefer that we remain silent. Please take a few minutes to let your
lawmakers know how this is affecting you, the people you work with, your
families, and the patients you serve. Feel free to add personal anecdotes.
There is momentum building for change. Together we can make a difference,
but only if we are willing to make the effort. You may also wish to submit
written comments to the SBA explaining how CMS RAC audits have affected
your business using the attached comment form. Please share this
information with coworkers who may not have received it.
If your organization has considered joining AOPA in the past, now would be
a great time to become a member. Also consider making a donation to the
Washington Orthotics and Prosthetics Association in support of funding a
part time lobbyist in Olympia.
Thanks,
David Firth
WOPA Legislative Liaison
President
Provel Inc
509.857.2009
Attachments:
Sample Letter (as Word Doc)
Dear Physician Letter
Duckworth Guthrie Letter
Contact List
SBA Comment Form
AOPA Overview
<URL Redacted>
Ever since the release of the attached August 11, 2011 “Dear Physician”
letter, O&P practitioners have been subjected to improper and damaging CMS
RAC audits, many for services predating publication of the letter.
Auditors have compelled return of legitimate Medicare payments while
appeals are pending.
These audits and other ill considered CMS policies are now adversely
impacting not only the full spectrum of O&P and DME providers throughout
the nation, but hospitals as well. In some parts of the country,
significant numbers of small providers have already closed their doors.
Some areas are just beginning to see their first audits. My own company,
Provel, although not involved in patient care, has been indirectly affected
as a manufacturer of automated capital equipment for the O&P industry.
On May 13th AOPA filed suit against Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Kathleen Sebelius, in Federal District Court seeking immediate relief from
the “Dear Physician” letter. Use this link to review the complaint:
<URL Redacted> On May 22nd a new Senate bill
was introduced to address provider concerns about RAC audits. A House bill
seeking to limit the power of audit contractors was introduced in October
and reintroduced in March.
Recently the Small Business Administration has taken up the cause against
unjustified RAC audits. The first of several SBA hearings on this matter
was held June 7th in Seattle. AOPA Executive Director Thomas Fise as well
as several members of our local O&P community offered testimony about their
experience with audits. The SBA is fundamentally concerned with unfair
regulatory enforcement by government agencies.
I’m writing to encourage you to contact your representative and our
senators to make them aware of the damaging consequences of current CMS
audit policy. I’ve attached a list of contact information and a sample
letter for your consideration. Representatives are responsive only to
constituents in their district. If you live an work in separate districts,
please contact the representative for each. Please contact senators thru
the nearest local office or via email. The need to make our concerns known
has never been more urgent. The billion dollar RAC audit industry would
prefer that we remain silent. Please take a few minutes to let your
lawmakers know how this is affecting you, the people you work with, your
families, and the patients you serve. Feel free to add personal anecdotes.
There is momentum building for change. Together we can make a difference,
but only if we are willing to make the effort. You may also wish to submit
written comments to the SBA explaining how CMS RAC audits have affected
your business using the attached comment form. Please share this
information with coworkers who may not have received it.
If your organization has considered joining AOPA in the past, now would be
a great time to become a member. Also consider making a donation to the
Washington Orthotics and Prosthetics Association in support of funding a
part time lobbyist in Olympia.
Thanks,
David Firth
WOPA Legislative Liaison
President
Provel Inc
509.857.2009
Attachments:
Sample Letter (as Word Doc)
Dear Physician Letter
Duckworth Guthrie Letter
Contact List
SBA Comment Form
AOPA Overview
<URL Redacted>
Citation
Jennifer Wolbach, “Fwd: please help; call for letters,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/235256.
