Ortho Pro ezine: Updated Medicare Requirements/Coverage, Exercise and Our First Genium Knee Patient!

Ortho Pro's Monthly eMagazine Header

August 2012

In This Issue

New Medicare Developments

Run Oscar Run!

Calendar of Events

blue_calendar

August 9-11, 2012

FAOP/FCAAOP

Marco Island, FL

August 29-September 9

Paralympic Games

London, UK

September 6-9, 2012

AOPA

Boston, MA

Are you on facebook?

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Send us your pictures! We'll put you in our photo gallery.

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Paralympic Games

Are you going to watch?

OrthoPro Office in Ecuador

Tratamiento ortésico para deformaciones craneales de plagiocefalia
en Latino America
con tecnología STARscanner™

Ask the Physical Therapist

Finding a Way to Balance Exercise and Energy Conservation

by Anne F. Street, MSPT, Prosthetist, CPI, STS

Ortho Pro Associates Specializes in Cranial Remolding

For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call our office at
(305) 598-9688

Greetings!

In last month's eMagazine, we mentioned that the new Genium Bionic Prosthetic System is now available at Ortho Pro. We are proud to announce that we have fit our first patient, Chad, with this new technology! He's doing great and was featured on Miami's local ABC channel 10. Additionally, we have an update on Medicare and Prosthetic coverage, as well as, some informative articles from the Amputee Coalition.

Ortho Pro's First Genium Bionic Patient - featured on ABC!
Medicare and Prosthetic Coverage: Information regarding Medicare Coverage for Prosthetic Devices (new development regarding actions from you, the consumer.)
Letter to your doctor about what Medicare requires in order to obtain necessary prosthetic care from your prosthetist.
Doing It All: Finding a Way to Balance Exercise and Energy Consumption

Please feel free to call our office or email us should you have any questions regarding Medicare coverage, if applicable.

Ortho Pro Associates Fits First Genium Bionic Prosthetic System

Watch Chad being fit with the Genium Bionic Prosthetic System on Ortho Pro Associates own YouTube channel.

Click here.

Channel 10 Interview

Watch Chad's interview on Channel 10 as he discusses his new Genium Bionic knee.

Important New Developments Regarding Medicare's Prosthetic Coverage

As a result of AN OIG report...

Medicare instructed the contractors who process all Medicare prosthetic claims to more closely scrutinize what prosthetists submit. In September 2011, these contractors sent out "Dear Physician" letters - letters to remind prescribing doctors of their responsibility to thoroughly document an amputee's condition in their medical records. At the same time, various auditing entities that Medicare contracts with dramatically ramped up their reviews of lower-limb prosthetic claims.

What does this mean for the consumer?

Many prosthetists have responded to these developments by insisting on seeing a copy of the doctors' medical records before proceeding with the delivery of a prosthesis. This can result in delivery delays for Medicare beneficiaries. The Amputee Coalition has anecdotal evidence that some doctors simply refuse to provide the detailed information set forth in the "Dear Physician" letters because of the administrative burden it places on them, which forces patients to find new physicians who are willing to do the necessary paperwork. Some prosthetists are actively educating their patients about these requirements and having the patients go to their doctors to insist on appropriate documentation prior to delivery.

What can you do?

Be an informed and active consumer and help your prosthetist and doctor to get it right. The Amputee Coalition has developed a letter that outlines what documentation Medicare needs to have in the medical record to support payment for your prosthesis.

DOWNLOAD THIS LETTER

and take it to your doctor when you go to get a prescription for a prosthetic device.

Don't Miss Oscar's Historic Olympic Run!

Tune in on Saturday morning to see Oscar Pistorius race in the Olympic Games.

Click here.

Ortho Pro Associates, Inc. is staffed by Florida Licensed/ABC Certified professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life for our patients.

We are an independent, privately owned company and our "bottom line" is the patient's well being. It's our privilege to be able to provide you with the latest and most advanced prostheses and orthoses available today.

Sincerely,

Terri Sparber Bukacheski, LP/OF, CP
President and Clinical Director of Prosthetic Patient Management

Aldo Alvarez, MS LPO,CPO
Clinical Director of Orthotic Patient Management

Ortho Pro Associates, Inc.