2014 Policy Forum

Policy Forum 2014 Logo

Policy Forum – Make A Difference
April 2-3, 2014
Special Extended Programming Available April 3-4, 2014
Renaissance Hotel – Washington, DC

April is Limb Loss Awareness Month, what better way to support the profession than to participate in the Annual Policy Forum, April 2-3 at the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel, with extended educational programs being offered April 3-4.

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The Policy Forum is your best opportunity to learn the latest legislative and regulatory happenings and how they will affect you, your business and your patients. Once you are armed with the facts, we as a profession will educate our Members of Congress to offer common sense solutions and share how the O&P profession restores lives and puts people back to work. Your Congressional appointments will be organized by AOPA staff and lobbyist.

Policy Forum attendees will participate in enlightening sessions, such as:
The Horrific RACs Era for Prosthetics, Where Are We, and Where/When (If Ever) Might It End?
• Hear the latest on CMS, OTS Orthotics, What the Statute Says on Minimal Self-Adjustment, What CMS Says, Competitive Bidding and/or Other Directions for OTS Orthotics
• Research and Education-Appropriations, VA, DoD—Where Are We Now?
• Competitive Bidding—Off the Shelf (OTS), New HCPCS Codes—How Does It All Make Sense?
• Post Acute Care Bundling—Risk of O&P Being ‘One of the Many”
• Medicare O&P Improvements Act, H.R. 3112
• Appropriations, Funding for Research & Education, S 521/S.522
• Emerging RAC Fairness Legislation
• Patient Perspective
• Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights, H.R. 3408
• Federal Insurance Fairness for Amputees Bill (H.R. 3020)

Register Now!

Your day of learning will culminate with a casual reception and networking dinner to give you an opportunity to mix and mingle with your fellow state delegates. The next morning will include a full breakfast and a session on the dos and don’ts of meeting with your Congressional representative, a mock Congressional visit, and what role Congressional staff plays. The meeting will close with a debriefing session to prepare you for next steps and follow up. Make sure your travel plans include the all important extended education modules.

The Policy Forum ends on Thursday, April 3rd with advocacy visits with elected representatives and their staffs. AOPA’s staff and lobbyists schedule these meetings for attendees.

The low registration fee of $150 and a location close to Capitol Hill make it easy and convenient to participate. Join us in 2014 to make a difference for the entire profession and, visit the monuments, the museums and all the attractions our nation’s capital has to offer – all just minutes from the hotel.

Extended Education Modules

To maximize your time away from the office, the Policy Forum has been reformatted for 2014 to offer you additional learning opportunities on important and pertinent topics. To make this experience even more beneficial, you can customize your schedule and register for the additional modules you are most interested in.

AOPA extended educational modules: These high-level executive meetings will provide the business information and Washington insider focus you need to continue to run your business.

Module I, Thursday, April 3, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
A Closer Look at How Washington WILL Impact your Business. (Includes dinner)
• Understanding Congressional Appropriations, How Does Money Get Out of Washington for Research, Educational & Other Programs
• CBO — What is the Congressional Budget Office, How Does It Work and Why is It Important?
• Special Programs That Will Impact Your Future: ACOs, DRGs, Post Acute Care Bundling & CMS’s Office of Innovation
• Let’s Sue the Bastards: A Primer About Suing the Medicare Program

Module II, Friday, April 4, 2014, 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Special Business and Clinical Educational Program Begins: Coding, RAC, OTS Coding, Appealing to the ALJ & FDA Educational Program Segments (Includes breakfast and lunch)
• Coding and Reimbursement Segment (2 hours)
o Primer: Steps You Can Take to Avoid RAC/Pre-Payment Audits and Succeed If You Get Them
o New Off-the-Shelf Orthotic Codes–Guide to Avoid Becoming a Witness Against Yourself.
• Taking Your Claims All the Way to the ALJ: How to Do It, and Win (1 hour)
• FDA: Has O&P Awakened a Sleeping Regulatory Giant–Overview of GMPs, Unique Device Identifiers, Complaint Files and Central Fabrication Compliance issues (1-1/2 hours)

Registration

Online registration is available by clicking here!
Registration Link: https://aopa.wufoo.com/forms/2014-policy-forum-registration/

Attendees

Click here to review the attendee folder!

Location and Hotel Reservations

The AOPA Policy Forum host hotel is the Renaissance Hotel, 999 Ninth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. 800/468-3571. Discover our historic city and enjoy easy access to all the attractions of our nation’s capital from this ideal location.

AOPA has reserved accommodations at the Renaissance Hotel for your convenience. All hotel reservations must be made by attendees directly through the hotel by calling 800/236-2427. You must also indicate that you would like the AOPA room block to receive our preferred group rate of $269 per night. RESERVE EARLY, AS THE HOTEL WILL LIKELY SELL OUT OVER THE DATES OF THE POLICY FORUM.

Please be sure your hotel reservation request reaches the Renaissance Hotel prior to March 10 when any remaining rooms will be released. Since rates quoted here are on a space-available basis only, once the Policy Forum block of rooms is sold out, which may be earlier than March 10 there is no guarantee that rooms will be available or that they will be available at the preferred rate.

Hotel Cancellations
The Renaissance Hotel has a 24-hour cancellation policy. Cancellations of your reservation within 24 hours prior to your scheduled arrival date will result in a penalty charge equivalent to one night’s room and tax charges.

Schedule

Please click here to view the full 2014 Policy Forum Schedule.

Become a Sponsor

Click here to become a sponsor of the 2014 Policy Forum.

Questions?
E-mail bleppin@AOPAnet.org or call Betty Leppin at 571/431-0876 for questions pertaining to registration, housing or transportation.

Contact Devon Bernard or Lauren Anderson with questions pertaining to Policy Forum education content, hill visits or specific legislative information. Devon Bernard may be reached at dbernard@AOPAnet.org or 571/431-0854. Lauren Anderson may be reached at landerson@aopanet.org or 571/431-0843.