The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) is proud to stand alongside our sister organizations in the O&P profession in signing and supporting this statement.
As a result of recent events in our country, we want all members of the O&P community to know that your O&P professional organizations stand together against racism. We are steadfast in our commitment to fairness, justice, and respect for all. We remain dedicated to open dialogue, active listening, and working toward enhancing diversity at all levels of our profession.
American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP) American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC) American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE)
Update on COVID-19, Joint Statement on Race Relations, and O&P Policy Agenda
COVID-19: NAAOP is pleased to welcome back our General Counsel, Peter Thomas, who, along with his parents and sister, acquired COVID-19 last month. Peter is now healthy and back on the job to help the O&P community advance policies that benefit orthotists, prosthetists and the patients they serve. Peter offers his sincere gratitude to all of those who reached out and offered their condolences and support to him upon the passing of his parents to COVID-19. His sister, Kathy, has also fully recovered. NAAOP also reiterates the importance of the O&P provider community remaining vigilant in protecting themselves, their staff, and their patients from COVID-19 transmission as the field begins accelerating the delivery of patient care.
Race Relations: In the wake of the horrific events involving George Floyd and others, as well as the national protests that have ensued, NAAOP and its sister O&P organizations (AAOP, AOPA, ABC, BOC, and NCOPE) today issued a joint statement as follows:
“NAAOP is proud to stand alongside our sister organizations in the O&P profession in signing and supporting this statement. As a result of recent events in our country, we want all members of the O&P community to know that your O&P professional organizations stand together against racism. We are steadfast in our commitment to fairness, justice, and respect for all. We remain dedicated to open dialogue, active listening, and working toward enhancing diversity at all levels of our profession.”
NAAOP recognizes it is not a “profile in courage” to state that we, as an organization, are opposed to racism, and in favor of fairness, justice, and respect for all. Racial discrimination existed long before the recent events occurred but we feel strongly about being on record and hope that the widespread debate taking place across the country is a step forward in helping to resolve these intractable problems.
O&P Policy Update: NAAOP is pleased that CMS suspended the pilot project on Medicare prior authorization of six prosthetic HCPCS billing codes in four states (i.e., CA, MI, PA and TX) originally scheduled to be implemented on May 11, 2020. NAAOP advocated for this suspension because implementation of a new documentation system for certain prosthetic components during a pandemic created a major risk of delay and denial in access to patient care.
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been funded at over $600 billion to assist small businesses, including O&P practices, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many O&P practices have taken advantage of this program. Recently, new legislation was enacted to modify the terms of the PPP such as extending the time period to expend the funds, the time period for paying back the loan (if it does not qualify as a forgivable loan), and increasing the share that businesses can expend on non-payroll expenses. NAAOP encourages all O&P practices to examine this program to see whether it makes sense to apply.
Finally, NAAOP has been working with its O&P Alliance partners to explore ways for orthotists and prosthetists to be reimbursed for O&P telehealth services provided to O&P patients, outside of the 90-day window after delivery of an orthosis or prosthesis. We will update NAAOP membership as this issue progresses.