By Alicia Carver and Susannah Engdahl
We just returned from a trip to Michigan, where we had the opportunity to shadow Jan Stokosa, CP, at the Stokosa Prosthetic Clinic and meet some members of the Michigan Legislature at the State Capitol building. At the Stokosa Prosthetic Clinic, we first learned about billing and some of the procedures that the Stokosa team follows when submitting insurance claims and appealing coverage decisions. Although, as individuals with limb loss ourselves, we both have experience with being denied coverage as patients, it was interesting to learn about this process from a provider perspective. We were also given a tour of prosthetic clinic, including the exam rooms and the laboratory. There was an assortment of prostheses in the laboratory that were in various stages of fabrication, which helped us see how much work is involved in designing, fitting, and fabricating a prosthesis. We were also able to observe Jan as he modified and repaired an elevated vacuum system and adjusted a socket to reduce pressure points on a patient’s residual limb.
During our trip, we talked with many patients who had diverse experiences in terms of their amputation level and history of prosthesis use. Most of these patients had experienced complications following their amputation that resulted in significant long-term pain, as well as revision surgeries to correct these issues. They also shared stories about their difficulties in getting insurance coverage for their prostheses, even though the prostheses had significantly improved their functional status, pain levels and overall quality of life. We will keep these stories in mind as we move forward with our advocacy efforts.
We also spent a full day at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan visiting with the Michigan legislature. We were introduced to Jack Schick with Karoub Associates. As a lobbyist and an amputee himself, he gave a tutorial in lobbying 101. We had scheduled meetings with Senator Vanderwall and Representative Vaupel. Senator VanderWall was kind enough to take us onto the floor of the Senate chamber. We learned what it is like to be a state lobbyist and the art of grabbing the attention of members of the House and Senate to get a few moments of their time. We are grateful to Jan and Mary Stokosa for being such gracious hosts, to the staff at Stokosa Prosthetic Clinic, and to everyone who made us feel so welcomed on this trip and shared their time with us.