WASHINGTON, DC – The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) wrapped up the 2016 Policy Forum with its first ever O&P Legislation-Writing Congress.
On Tuesday, April 26, former Senator Bob Kerrey led a one of a kind O&P Legislation-Writing Congress, where attendees authored a simple bill that would fix most of the problems that are undercutting the quality of care for orthotic and prosthetic patients who are Medicare beneficiaries.
On Tuesday afternoon, while Policy Forum attendees were learning the ins and outs of a range of government policies and actions, Senator Kerrey had personal meetings with eight Senators to explain the bill, and how some simple steps could rectify the problems and injustices unnecessarily burdening Medicare beneficiaries and the O&P professionals committed to providing care for those patients.
On Wednesday, April 27, 135 O&P providers and patients spent the day on Capitol Hill in more than 400 meetings with their legislators, seeking their support for the new bill and related proposed legislation – the central, indispensable exercise of citizens’ rights that is the core of every AOPA Policy Forum. As AOPA President Jim Campbell, PhD, CO, FAAOP remarked, “What makes this meeting special is that people don’t come to attend, they come to participate”.
Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) was the opening keynote speaker for the Policy Forum, and the audience was provided insight into the Congressional Perspective by Senator Mark Warner (DVA) and Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). All three legislators shared their own concerns about the proposed LCD and other restraints imposed by CMS that hinder the most advanced and timely patient care.
AOPA would like to thank the 2016 Policy Forum sponsors for making this event possible: WillowWood, Spinal Technology Inc., Ottobock, Becker Orthopedic, Fillauer Companies, Cascade Orthopedic Supply Inc., Townsend Design, Össur Americas Inc., Anatomical Concepts Inc., PEL, Knit-Rite Inc., KISS Technologies, Freedom Innovations, Allard USA, SPS, TRS Inc., Cailor Fleming Insurance, Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc., and Ability Dynamics.
The bill written by Policy Forum attendees, plus photos of the event are all available at Questions? Please contact Lauren Anderson, AOPA’s Manager of Communications, Policy, and Strategic Initiatives at 571/431-0843 or landerson@aopanet.org