This video is not for the faint of heart--and on the other hand, probably not that interesting for those just looking to be shocked--but it should give amputees and others who work with them a better picture of what they go through under the knife.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Prosthetic and Orthotic Licensure in Missouri?
Today's cover story from O&P Business News discusses various efforts to get licensure laws passed in states across the nation. Now, only 12 states, excluding Missouri, require prosthetists and orthotists to be licensed. That means that anyone can fit an arm, leg, or brace here in St. Louis!
P&O Care's practitioners are licensed in Illinois and certified by the American Board for Certification in Prosthetics and Orthotics. We are also certified to train prosthetic and orthotic residents coming out of graduate school at Northwestern University in Chicago. Missouri needs a licensure law for the field of prosthetics and orthotics.
State by State: Licensing in O&P
O&P Business News delves into the debate over mandatory state licensure. Is this where the profession is headed?
By Stephanie Z. Pavlou
On the heels of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) announcement that all orthotic, prosthetic and pedorthic facilities must obtain accreditation by Sept. 30, 2009, professionals across the United States are wondering if licensure also will become mandatory. O&P Business News explores this standard, its benefits and its practical applications.
Licensing by state
According to the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists’ Orthotic & Prosthetic Licensure: A Comprehensive Guide, licensure benefits the patient through established criteria for education and experience.
“Licensure requirements are in the best interests of the profession in that they give official status to the practice of the profession, establish a recognized scope of practice for orthotists and prosthetists, and will be recognized by other health care practitioners in crossover of patient care responsibilities,” the Academy wrote in the Guide.
With initial costs ranging from $20,000 to $100,000, licensure has not been a state priority. In addition, ongoing costs can run between $100 and $800 for individual practitioners or for facilities, depending on if the facility owner decides to pay for each practitioner in the office.
A dozen states, however, have stepped forward to pave the way for the rest. Currently, O&P practitioners are required to be licensed in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington. Tennessee became the 12th state to pass a licensure bill in 2006, and enacted the law this January; O&P members are working to finalize its provisions.Read More
© 2008/Nova Development, Art Explosion®
A leg to stand on - MIT News Office
Bill McLellan has sent you a link to this MIT News Office story:
A leg to stand on
March 5, 2008
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/itw-jaipur-tt0305.html
A team of MIT students has been working on a new device that could greatly simplify the process of fitting artificial legs in India, producing a better fit while eliminating some steps in the process and reducing waste materials.
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Thursday, March 6, 2008
Prosthetic Parity Action Alert
On behalf of the Missouri Coalition for People with Limb Loss, I am excited to let you know that House Bill 2100 has been referred to the Special Committee on Health Insurance. This bill requires health insurance companies that claim to cover prosthetics to pay Medicare allowable rates without capping coverage at ridiculously low levels.
Real prosthetic parity is within our grasp! If we can get a hearing scheduled, we can all go to Jefferson City, drum up some publicity, and make our case before our legislators in public. Otherwise, our effort will fail this time around. It is absolutely necessary that as many Missourians as possible contact the committee chair, Rep. Wilson, as well as their own legislator, and ask for a hearing! Here is some information to make that easier for you to do right away. Please, take the time to stop what you’re doing and make just one or two phone calls or e-mails. What you do will make a difference!
Representative Kevin Wilson, Chair, Special Committee on Health Insurance
Home Zip: 64850; Counties: McDonald, Newton; District 130
Capitol Phone: 573-751-9781
E-mail: Kevin.Wilson@house.mo.gov
Everyone, please call and/or e-mail Rep. Wilson and say:
Please grant a Hearing for House Bill 2100 concerning prosthetic parity.
If you would like to say more, here are three quick talking points you can include in a phone call or cut-and-paste into an e-mail (also see attachment):
1. Employers, working Missourians, and amputees are being deceived into thinking that prosthetics are covered in their policies when, in fact, payment is capped at less than one-fourth to one-half the cost.
2. Some working-age amputees have found it better to get on Medicaid or Disability instead of returning to their jobs because coverage is better than with private insurance.
3. The cost of prosthetic parity laws on private health insurance is somewhere between 12 and 25 cents per member per month, or less than $3.00 per year.
Also, include any personal information, especially if you are an amputee or have been affected by insurance caps on prosthetic coverage.
If any of you or your patients or friends live in Rep. Wilson’s district, please get them involved!
Here is a list of all the members of the insurance committee. By clicking on their name you can immediately send them an e-mail.
Wilson, Kevin, Chair
Kraus, Will, Vice Chair
Bland, Craig C.
Grill, Jason
Hubbard, Rodney R.
Kratky, Michele
Pollock, Darrell
Portwood, Dr. Charles R.
Sander, Therese
Sater, David
Please check and see if your legislator is on this list, either by clicking on their name or by looking up your rep here: http://www.senate.mo.gov/llookup/leg_lookup.aspx. You can send an e-mail or make a phone call and say the same things listed above for Rep. Wilson. Once we get a hearing, we can go from there.
Thank you for your participation in this worthy cause. Feel free to forward this blog post to anyone, especially other amputees, whom you think will want to get involved. For more information, continue to check our blog at http://molimbloss.blogspot.com.
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