As was stated in our notice last week, AOPA greatly applauds CMS for finally releasing the Proposed Regulation under BIPA 427. The proposal is far from perfect. That, coupled with: (a) the start of the new Trump Administration and the prospect that the Administration could easily view the Proposed regulations unfavorably as an effort to […]
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CMS Announces Proposed Rule on O&P Qualified Providers
January 11, 2017 at 10:57 am
This morning, CMS released a proposed rule that would enact the long awaited provisions of Section 1834(h) of the Social Security Act, which “requires that no Medicare payment shall be made for an item of custom-fabricated orthotics or for an item of prosthetics unless furnished by a qualified practitioner and fabricated by a qualified practitioner […]
AOPA Submits Comments on AHRQ Systematic Review of Lower Limb Prostheses
December 22, 2016 at 12:31 pm
On December 1, 2016 the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announced that it was soliciting public comment on the key questions that would be used in its previously announced systematic review of clinical literature relative to lower limb prostheses. Comments were to be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on December 20, 2016. […]
CMS Announces Initial Implementation of Prior Authorization Program-No Prosthetic Codes Included
December 20, 2016 at 11:28 am
On December 19, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the initial implementation of the Medicare prior authorization program that was authorized through the final rule published on December 30, 2015. As expected, CMS has chosen a cautious approach in implementing its prior authorization program. The initial list of codes subject to […]
Congress Adjourns-No Final Action on Medicare O&P Improvement Act or Other Medicare Issues in Final Continuing Resolution
December 12, 2016 at 9:49 am
The 114th Congress completed its work in a “beat the clock” enactment around 11:30 pm on Friday evening, December 9 by the Senate passing a Continuing Resolution (CR) just 30 minutes before the government would have shut down. That Continuing Resolution will keep the U.S. government operating through April, and without enacting the provisions of […]
U.S. District Court Grants Judgement to Hospital Association, Mandates HHS Remedial Action to Reduce ALJ Waiting Period
December 8, 2016 at 12:04 pm
In mid-2014, the American Hospital Association (AHA) filed suit against HHS challenging the long delays—far in excess of the statutory limit of 90 days—before RAC audit appeal cases are heard by an administrative law judge (ALJ). Early on, the District Court ruled against AHA, but was overruled by the Court of Appeals. In now ruling […]
CMS Releases the 2017 DMEPOS Fee Schedule
December 6, 2016 at 4:20 pm
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2017 Medicare DMEPOS fee schedule which will be effective for Medicare claims with a date of service on or after January 1, 2017. The 2017 Medicare fee schedule for orthotic and prosthetic services will be increased by 0.7% over 2016 rates. The 0.7% increase […]
Call for Papers for the 2nd AOPA World Congress
November 29, 2016 at 12:05 pm
Gain International Recognition * Advance your Career * Improve Patient Care AOPA has announced the call for papers for the Second O&P World Congress to be held September 6‐9, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. AOPA is seeking high‐quality educational and research content to set the stage for a broad curriculum of […]
OIG Releases 2017 Work Plan
November 17, 2016 at 9:29 am
HHS OIG Releases 2017 Work Plan-Two Longstanding Objectives in Orthotics Remain; No Other/New Prosthetic or Orthotic Items Listed Each year, the HHS Inspector General releases its annual Work Plan, which lists the topics where the OIG believes there are significant potential items of fraud or other inappropriate or inefficient operations by HHS (including CMS and […]
AOPA’s Post-Election Analysis
November 9, 2016 at 12:24 pm
GOP Runs the Table, Trump Wins Presidency, and Maintains Control of Both Senate and House In an election unprecedented in American history, Donald Trump defied the polls, conventional wisdom and notions of political correctness for a convincing win of the Presidency in the Electoral College, despite a roughly break even in the popular vote. What […]