Responses to bilat hip case

Responses to bilat hip case

Daniel Mincke

6/19/2015

Hello All,

Thank you for the quick responses pertaining to the bilateral hip case.
She is setup with a well versed practitioner in her insurance network
and local area. Here are the responses below.
Have a great weekend everyone!




> On Jun 9, 2015, at 3:59 PM, Daniel Mincke < <Email Address Redacted> > wrote:
>
> Hello O&P Community,
>
> We are primarily a central fab, and as such, have
> no bearing in the clinical, insurance/billing, etc. realm, so bare with
> me. We recently had a patient contact us in bewilderment that there are
> prosthetics and options for bi-lateral hip amputees. Alicia was
> diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease in 2009, and became a below
> knee amputee shortly after. Numerous revisions and complications have
> left her a recent bilateral hip amputee. Her surgeon and post-op care
> had told her that she will never walk because they never knew of
> anybody walking after a bi-lateral hip disartic surgery. We
> passionately disagree! We have fabricated dozens of bilateral hip
> prosthetics, with variations of hemipelvectomy and/or disarticulation,
> at Otto Bock and now VMS, with success in every case!
> She has been to see one prosthetist in her area, but he is not in her
> insurance network. She understands her limitations, and is really just
> looking to be ambulatory in any respect. She has a fantastic outlook and
> positive attitude about her condition. She is a single mother looking to
> be as active in her kids lives as physically possible.
>
> Can anybody in the Detroit, MI, or surrounding area help in any respect?
> We have lots of experience with hips of all mobility grades and
> circumstances. We would be happy and grateful to do the fabrication, if
> someone can help with the clinical side. Her current insurance is
> Molina-Medicare/Medicaide.
>
> Additionally, there is a fund setup in her name at
> <URL Redacted> to help with the costs of a
> riomobility firefly, which turns her wheelchair into a power scooter, if
> anyone can or is willing to contribute.
>
> Thank you all in advance for your time and professional expertise!





The problem is if you're not on the clinical side you don't see the full
picture. Lightweight strong unilateral hip disartics have many
challenges. Bilateral in my opinion would just be a matter of making the
legs for the patient so they know how difficult it is. I'd also be very
suspect with Medicare. If she has a power wheelchair then it will be
denied based on that. Making the most beautiful functional prosthetics
is one thing the patient actually using them is another. In my honest
clinical experience she will not use them past all the effort of getting
them set up.





Dan-

I'd be glad to help but cannot do Molina as they are not in our area. I
do know that on the whole they are one of the most difficult third party
payors to work with.




Hi I received your email about the bilateral hip case. I would be happy
to get the practitioner who may take on the case equipped with the
Bikini Socket training, if they are not already equipped (at no cost).
Let me know how I can help.

If they are not already trained, they can learn more at:
<URL Redacted>