VIEW OUR VIDEO and written Update on VA Bill of Rights and Medicare Physician Documentation Template

VIEW OUR VIDEO and written Update on VA Bill of Rights and Medicare Physician Documentation Template

NAAOP

9/12/2013

Please see the link below and view our video webcast on the VA Bill of
Rights and Medicare Physician Documentation Template Update:

VA Bill of Rights and Physician Documentation Template Update.
<URL Redacted>

As Congress returns from its annual August recess, there is a long list of
daunting problems to address. From launching military action against Syria
to funding the federal government past October 1st, to defunding
Obamacare, to increasing the federal debt ceiling, there is no shortage of
major issues to address before Congress adjourns this December. In addition
to these controversial issues, Congress is working to permanently fix the
Medicare physician fee schedule and offset the cost by cuts to other
Medicare providers. All of these must be addressed in an era of extreme
political partisanship.

As these national priorities preoccupy Washington, the likelihood of
significant changes to O&P policy is diminished, but progress can still be
made. In the past month alone, the House has re-introduced the Insurance
Fairness for Amputees Act, the Medicare O&P Improvement Act is pending
re-introduction, CMS is hearing an earful from the O&P profession on their
electronic clinical template for lower limb prostheses, and a bipartisan
group of representatives are considering re-introduction of the Injured and
Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights.

VA Bill of Rights, (formerly H.R. 805): The House VA Health Subcommittee has
taken a keen interest in appropriate prosthetic care for amputee veterans by
hosting three separate hearings, one listening session, and commissioning
two separate OIG reports in the past two years. NAAOP participated in these
hearings and listening sessions and has been working closely with the VA
Committee staff and members of Congress for years. The one thing Congress
has not done is enact legislation. The House actually passed the Injured and
Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights in December 2010, but Congress adjourned
before the Senate could act.

There is a strong bipartisan commitment to finally address VA prosthetics
through legislation. NAAOP is working closely with key Members of Congress
to ultimately re-introduce the VA Bill of Rights this Fall and prepare the
bill for ultimate passage. The bill would not solve all of the problems with
VA prosthetics, but it would enable veterans to know their rights and
expectations of VA prosthetic and orthotic care. In turn, veterans would
have the tools they need to become their own best advocate in securing the
most appropriate prosthetic technology from the provider of their choice.

Electronic Clinical Documentation Template: CMS is determined to issue an
electronic template that will address the kinds of information a physician
should document in the patient's record in order to demonstrate the medical
necessity of lower limb prosthetic care. The agency has held three separate
Open Door Forums over the past four months to gather public comments.
Although the process CMS has used does not constitute formal notice and
comment procedures, NAAOP has provided significant feedback to CMS, both
individually and in concert with the O&P Alliance. Chief among our comments
has been the importance of streamlining the lengthy and detailed template,
shifting the focus from medical conditions to functional status and
potential, and ensuring that the prosthetist's records are afforded proper
weight in the process of determining medical necessity of prosthetic care.
NAAOP will continue to keep you informed as developments occur.

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