The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) has issued the following call to action:
The Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DME MACs) recently published a draft Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for Lower Limb Prostheses that would profoundly affect amputees’ access to care and restrict how and what prosthetists can do for their patients. NAAOP is working on many fronts, both individually and in conjunction with the O&P Alliance, to comprehensively respond to this proposal. The purpose of this letter is to alert you to a unique effort that NAAOP is spearheading to draw national attention to the draft LCD issue.
The White House has a “We the People” petition process. If a petition garners 100,000 signatures in 30 days, White House staff will review it, send it to appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response. The petition NAAOP has created reads as follows:
“We petition the Obama Administration to rescind the Medicare proposal restricting access to prosthetic limbs and returning amputees to 1970’s standards of care.”
This is a simple and fast way to raise public awareness about the draft LCD. If we can reach 100,000 signatures, we will force the White House to weigh in on this vitally important issue. Reaching this goal will not be easy. We have reached out to the other members of the O&P Alliance and the Amputee Coalition. All have agreed to support this effort and promote awareness of the “We the People” petition. Whether or not we reach 100,000 signatures, this petition will help the O&P community show widespread opposition to this proposal.
Please make sure that your friends, your families, and your caregivers know about this petition, which can be accessed at www.SaveProsthetics.org, and take five minutes out of their day to electronically sign it.
As always, NAAOP thanks you for your support. Now, more than ever, we need to make our voices heard.
Amplitude Editor’s Note: For more information, visit www.aopanet.org/2015/07/update-aopas-analysis-of-proposed-lower-limb-prosthetic-policy/.