Get Involved

"Everyday I have people tell me that patients are coming into their clinics and they're not getting the care they deserve because of various public policy issues, be it reimbursement, be it access to technology, be it unfair competition from other folks who don't have the same costs they have because it is a largely unregulated profession. This hurts people. And this hurts professional private practices. And so we're here to say to them, ‘Give us the facts on how your patients are being hurt and how your profession is being challenged.' We're here to take those issues to Capitol Hill and really work to your benefit as much as possible."

Mark D. DeHarde, Past President, NAAOP, 109th Congress, 2005-2006

Taking Action

Thank you for deciding to take action. Progress in professional O&P patient care is the goal and it will only be accomplished with the efforts of professionals and friends who are willing to make a difference.

NAAOP would like to thank all O&P professionals and O&P friends for committing beyond their regular daily schedule to participate in advocating for O&P optimal patient wellness.

Taking action can take many forms and all will make a difference for orhtotic and prosthetic patients and the professionals who are involved in every aspect of their care.

Become More Informed

Initially taking action may take the form of becoming more informed and asking questions. In the get informed section of this website you will find summary information on key issues and links to a host of resources such as updates and alerts. Updates and alerts are a valuable resource because they are specific to the O&P community. They contain information on threats and opportunities facing the O&P patient and professional O&P care. You will also find a comprehensive list of governmental resources that provides both background information and policymaker contact information. NAAOP is committed to education and advocacy; to that end we strongly encourage your questions and feedback. Contact us with your issues of concern. Contact policymakers with your issues of concern.

Give Your Feedback

Since NAAOP's inception, educating policymakers and the O&P community has been a priority. NAAOP government relations updates and alerts have and will continue to play a key role in this education and advocacy process. Through updates and alerts, NAAOP monitors policies, bills, and rules that effect O&P professional care. Updates and alerts also play a strategic role by providing relevant information to combat or defend issues facing professional O&P care. NAAOP members receive government updates and alerts as soon as they become available. Updates and alerts are also published on this site. You can view these updates as well as respond to an update/alert, send an update/alert to a colleague or friend, respond to policymakers, or to an NAAOP survey. Your feedback provides evidence for what works and what is in the best interest of the O&P patient.

Join Our Efforts

By joining NAAOP, you are partnering with other O&P professionals who are promoting the highest standards of professional O&P care. NAAOP's goals are solely achieved by the commitment and dedication of members who are funding this effort. Through our members, we continually make progress in key areas such as better evidence, better education of practitioners, greater and better technology for the O&P consumer, greater access to care, and unity within the O&P community.

For O&P Patients

NAAOP's primary purpose is to promote public policy that is in the interest of the O&P patient. We do this by advocating for professional O&P patient care. Our members are O&P professionals who care enough about their patient's well being to commit beyond their efforts in daily patient care and become actively engaged in promoting public policy that is in the interest of their patients.

O&P patients can join in NAAOP's efforts to serve and advocate for professional O&P patient care. Get informed and communicate your concerns to your certified orthotist and prosthetist. Please review the for O&P patients section of this site. This section contains information on quality care, educating policymakers, self-advocacy and other resources for the O&P patient. Please see the O&P links for more organizations that are active in the disability community.