VIEW OUR VIDEO AND UPDATE - Prosthetic Coverage Gains and Improving VA Amputee Care
NAAOP
Description
Collection
Title:
VIEW OUR VIDEO AND UPDATE - Prosthetic Coverage Gains and Improving VA Amputee Care
Creator:
NAAOP
Date:
6/25/2015
Text:
Please view below our video - Prosthetic Coverage Gains and Improving VA
Amputee Care.
< <URL Redacted>> Prosthetic
Coverage Gains and Improving VA Amputee Care
<URL Redacted>
One Limb Per Life Update: New York State has been the focus on tremendous
NAAOP activity over the past several months, largely because positive
changes there could help improve coverage of prosthetic care in other
states. Last month, after sustained advocacy efforts by a coordinated group
of state and federal advocates, the state announced that it would change its
one limb per lifetime policy in 2016. This was a genuine victory but
concern arose when the revised coverage language maintained the one limb per
life language but clarified that repairs and replacements will be covered
due to wear and tear or when prostheses are outgrown.
NAAOP President Dave McGill and General Counsel Peter Thomas, working with
Dan Bastian, C.P., an amputee and practitioner in New York, along with Dan
Ignaszewski of the Amputee Coalition, continued collective advocacy efforts
with NY legislators and the Governor's office. Dan Bastian was the principal
advocate on the ground and devoted countless hours to this cause. In the
end, the one limb per lifetime language was maintained because the state
felt it was not permitted under the ACA to change that part of the benchmark
benefits plan (a position NAAOP strongly challenges). But the final language
of the coverage policy was clarified to ensure coverage of repairs and
replacements of prosthetic limbs and component parts. Most of the
problematic language was removed from the 2016 Plan Invitation, which means
that amputees in NY State will have prosthetic coverage next year that they
lack today.
The one limb per life issue attracted so much attention in NY that the
state legislature also began to address the problem. Long-standing efforts
by the Amputee Coalition and NY practitioners to pass prosthetic fairness
legislation were reignited and bills in both the House and Senate began to
move forward. The language of these bills and new legislation, however, was
problematic and needed improvement. After extensive advocacy efforts, the NY
Assembly unanimously passed a bill in mid-June to ensure coverage in private
plans of medically necessary prosthetic care. While support in the Senate
appeared to be just as strong, the bill was held pending additional review.
At the time of writing this update, the NY Senate is scheduled to adjourn
shortly and the bill is still pending. It is unclear whether the bill will
make it across the finish line before adjournment, but NAAOP will report the
outcome as soon as possible and work with the existing advocacy coalition
next year if necessary to pass the bill.
Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights: Congresswoman Renee Ellmers
(R-NC), the chief sponsor of the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights
(formerly H.R. 3408), is poised to reintroduce this important legislation.
But before doing so, the Congresswoman is expected to soon send a letter to
VA Secretary Robert McDonald requesting that he implement many of the
provisions of the Bill of Rights on his own authority. Given the Secretary's
interest in improving the VA and the spotlight over the past several years
on VA O&P care, the hope is that he will seek changes within the VA on his
own, without needing to be told what to do by Congress. At last count,
Congresswoman Ellmers attracted the support of approximately 13 of her House
colleagues who have agreed to co-sign the letter. Once sent, NAAOP will post
the letter to the NAAOP website at < <URL Redacted>> www.naaop.com and
continue to work closely with Rep. Ellmers to improve O&P care for injured
and amputee veterans.
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
Amputee Care.
< <URL Redacted>> Prosthetic
Coverage Gains and Improving VA Amputee Care
<URL Redacted>
One Limb Per Life Update: New York State has been the focus on tremendous
NAAOP activity over the past several months, largely because positive
changes there could help improve coverage of prosthetic care in other
states. Last month, after sustained advocacy efforts by a coordinated group
of state and federal advocates, the state announced that it would change its
one limb per lifetime policy in 2016. This was a genuine victory but
concern arose when the revised coverage language maintained the one limb per
life language but clarified that repairs and replacements will be covered
due to wear and tear or when prostheses are outgrown.
NAAOP President Dave McGill and General Counsel Peter Thomas, working with
Dan Bastian, C.P., an amputee and practitioner in New York, along with Dan
Ignaszewski of the Amputee Coalition, continued collective advocacy efforts
with NY legislators and the Governor's office. Dan Bastian was the principal
advocate on the ground and devoted countless hours to this cause. In the
end, the one limb per lifetime language was maintained because the state
felt it was not permitted under the ACA to change that part of the benchmark
benefits plan (a position NAAOP strongly challenges). But the final language
of the coverage policy was clarified to ensure coverage of repairs and
replacements of prosthetic limbs and component parts. Most of the
problematic language was removed from the 2016 Plan Invitation, which means
that amputees in NY State will have prosthetic coverage next year that they
lack today.
The one limb per life issue attracted so much attention in NY that the
state legislature also began to address the problem. Long-standing efforts
by the Amputee Coalition and NY practitioners to pass prosthetic fairness
legislation were reignited and bills in both the House and Senate began to
move forward. The language of these bills and new legislation, however, was
problematic and needed improvement. After extensive advocacy efforts, the NY
Assembly unanimously passed a bill in mid-June to ensure coverage in private
plans of medically necessary prosthetic care. While support in the Senate
appeared to be just as strong, the bill was held pending additional review.
At the time of writing this update, the NY Senate is scheduled to adjourn
shortly and the bill is still pending. It is unclear whether the bill will
make it across the finish line before adjournment, but NAAOP will report the
outcome as soon as possible and work with the existing advocacy coalition
next year if necessary to pass the bill.
Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights: Congresswoman Renee Ellmers
(R-NC), the chief sponsor of the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights
(formerly H.R. 3408), is poised to reintroduce this important legislation.
But before doing so, the Congresswoman is expected to soon send a letter to
VA Secretary Robert McDonald requesting that he implement many of the
provisions of the Bill of Rights on his own authority. Given the Secretary's
interest in improving the VA and the spotlight over the past several years
on VA O&P care, the hope is that he will seek changes within the VA on his
own, without needing to be told what to do by Congress. At last count,
Congresswoman Ellmers attracted the support of approximately 13 of her House
colleagues who have agreed to co-sign the letter. Once sent, NAAOP will post
the letter to the NAAOP website at < <URL Redacted>> www.naaop.com and
continue to work closely with Rep. Ellmers to improve O&P care for injured
and amputee veterans.
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
Citation
NAAOP, “VIEW OUR VIDEO AND UPDATE - Prosthetic Coverage Gains and Improving VA Amputee Care,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/237465.
