Alabama Prosthetic & Orthotic Association Focuses on Hot Topics

For many practitioners the name of the game is to attend state meetings in order to attend sessions and maintain the required continuing education credits. Of course, the business topics such as strategic competitive planning, market positioning, and contract negotiations also are enticing draws for owner/practitioners who want to improve their business and also maintain continuing education. Then there is also the possibility of being the first to see the latest innovation or new technology offered by manufacturers in the exhibit hall.

These days, however, there seems to be more of a common purpose, mission, and drive among friendly yet competitive practitioners attending state and regional meetings. The general focus: How do we collectively survive the current political and reimbursement climate?

Glenn Crumpton, CPO, LPO, CPed, Alabama Artificial Limb Company Inc., Montgomery, and exiting president of the Alabama Prosthetic & Orthotic Association (APOA), opened the 2005 Alabama State Meeting with comments regarding the hot topics during his tenure: licensure, participation in the recent O&P Policy Forum, the O&P PAC, and the need for independents to unite for a common good.

Much of Crumpton's focus was on state licensure. When asked to comment on what he felt the most important next step would, be Crumpton said, "Our licensure law passed in the 2002 legislature. The grandfather period was the entire year of 2003¡¦There were other paths to licensure, but this was by far the most common. Our most recent activity has been an attempt to bring pedorthics into our law. In 2004 and 2005, the initiative passed the House and came out of the Senate committee, but our legislature was inactive and passed no legislation. We are looking toward the 2006 session for our next opportunity."

Physicians Compete in O&P

President Elect Willis Smitherman, CPO, president and owner of Dothan Brace Shop Inc., Dothan, told The O&P EDGE that one of his big focus items for 2006 is the Stark Law and what it means to independent practices. Smitherman says that due to the Stark Law, businesses are losing key employees to physicians who are opening O&P shops. He says that a recent article published in a highly read journal detailed for orthopedic surgeons how they can open O&P businesses to increase revenues. Smitherman advises, "Look at the Stark Law online. While docs cannot buy a free-standing O&P lab, they can open one in their own personal office and expand their services. And they can hire anyone they please. We are losing good people in our profession to this."

Ombudsman Session

The mandatory meeting for attendees presented by the state board was "Medicare Ombudsman Talks to Us." The presentation by Alabama Ombudsman Lia Bunch stirred up a plethora of questions and concerns among attendees. Much of the focus was on the need for the association to overcome the "up-coding" problems that have occurred in the region, how to combat the critical assessment of claims within the Medicare system caused by the high costs that occur within region C, and how to educate the decision makers at Medicare about O&P in order to get a smoother claims approval process.

Many attendees who had also attended the earlier PrimeFare meeting noted that it was reported at PrimeFare that 40 percent of the total people receiving Medicare benefits live in Region C, and that 80 percent of Medicare dollars are spent there. One can certainly see how these figures, if correct, could cause Medicare skepticism and critical assessment of claims for this region.

Aside from taking care of business, social activities included a golf outing held amid a typical Alabama late-July heat index of 108¢ª. Two teams tied with a score of five under par in the tournament that was structured as a four-man scramble, best ball format. A lunch sponsored by Otto Bock HealthCare followed the round of golf. On Friday evening, attendees were treated to the President's Reception at a Birmingham Barons baseball game, a local minor league team. In true hometown fashion, the Barons pulled out a win over the Huntington Stars in the final inning, and the evening was capped by a beautiful firework display.

Note: Please keep us informed about your state and regional meetings, and we will attend if possible and write a story about significant developments coming from the meeting. As the political, legislative, and reimbursement environment heats up for O&P, it becomes obvious how importantly state and regional meetings and activities affect O&P's present and future at all levels. Please contact us at 303.255.0843 or editor@westernmediallc.com