Tag: American Orthotic & Prosthetic Assoc (AOPA)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The University of Hartford’s first graduates of the Certificate in O&P Business Management were honored during a graduation ceremony Sept. 9 during the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association’s 2023 National Assembly in Indianapolis. “We were pleased to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduates during the 2023 National Assembly,” said Eve Lee, CAE, executive director of AOPA. “The Certificate in O&P Business Management is a unique...

WASHINGTON – O&P stakeholders say a new bill would not only curb fraud and abuse and improve patient care but also eliminate a five-year default timeline for when Medicare beneficiaries can get replacement devices.  The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act (H.R. 4315), which was re-introduced June 23, includes a new provision that would ensure beneficiaries can access replacement custom-fitted and custom-fabricated orthoses when a change in their condition or...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association is pleased to announce the recipient of the first Professor Hans Georg Näder Digital O&P Care Award, David Boone, PhD, MPH. The award was established this year by a gift from Ottobock Healthcare in honor of Professor Hans Georg Näder and his many contributions to the field of orthotics and prosthetics worldwide. The purpose is to prepare the O&P profession for the future as digital care and innovations in technology...

ATLANTA – Amoena USA will co-host a post-mastectomy education track at the AOPA National Assembly, which takes place Sept. 28-Oct. 1 in San Antonio. Amoena’s National Trainer, Rachel Brown, CMF, CFm, will present on topics including the breast surgery patient journey, and making your practice more profitable and more visible in your community. “Post-mastectomy care is reaching new levels of innovation right now, and we see enthusiasm for it from newly-trained O&P students,”...

ARLINGTON, Va. – The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association has launched the So Kids Can Move initiative, a state-by-state policy-based initiative to raise awareness and expand access to recreational prostheses as medical necessary health care for children. AOPA has launched the initiative in partnership with the National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics & Prosthetics and Forrest Stump, a Pacific Northwest nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting equitable access...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) has committed $30,000 to fund a study, “Racial Bias in Orthotics and Prosthetics,” the first of its kind in the O&P field.  The study is a recipient of a 2021 American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) and Center for Orthotic and Prosthetic Learning and Outcomes/Evidence-Based Practice (COPL) Pilot Grant.  "This research is an essential first step to reduce health disparities and improve racial...

WASHINGTON – Stakeholders commend CMS for improvements to the recently implemented prior authorization program for five orthosis codes, but they continue to press the agency to address concerns related to direct-to-consumer shipping of certain devices.   While a nearly year-old PA program for lower limb prosthetics has been successful, stakeholders feared that the two-day turnaround for approval for orthotics would delay care, says Joe McTernan, director of coding and reimbursement...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Far from an exercise in aesthetics, the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association’s (AOPA) recent rebrand was a culmination of nine months worth of data collection, member surveys, and in-depth interviews with key leaders and constituents within the profession.   "We’ve seen a lot of evolution in the orthotics and prosthetics field in the last decade or so and AOPA hasn't done enough work to keep up with that,” said Executive Director Eve Lee. “We...

OLD FORGE, Pa. – Golden Technologies on April 4 decreased lead times on in-stock power lift recliners to one week and custom build orders to six weeks.  Over the last 12 months, the company says it has been working hard to expand a diverse supply chain for parts and products to ensure a continuous supply of products and services and has opened a new distribution center that spans 170,000 square feet.  “As part of our continued operational and logistics improvement...

WASHINGTON – The O&P Alliance has issued a statement opposing direct-to-consumer delivery of custom orthotics and prosthetics.  The alliance, which includes the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association, American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, ABC, BOC and National Association for the Advancement of Orthotic and Prosthetic Patient Care, says such devices should be fitted by a licensed O&P professional as part of the overall plan of care. The direct-to-consumer model, they...