Tag: Orthotics

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) has committed $30,000 to fund a study, “Racial Bias in Orthotics and Prosthetics,” the first of its kind in the O&P field.  The study is a recipient of a 2021 American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) and Center for Orthotic and Prosthetic Learning and Outcomes/Evidence-Based Practice (COPL) Pilot Grant.  "This research is an essential first step to reduce health disparities and improve racial...

CINCINNATI – Quipt Home Medical has acquired Good Night Medical, a business with operations across seven states, for about $7 million in cash.  The acquisition provides Quipt Home Medical with expansion opportunities into Massachusetts, North Carolina and Texas, where it doesn’t have a presence.  “Good Night Medical strengthens our healthcare network across multiple states, enhancing our national coverage sphere over an area that includes about 5 million COPD sufferers...

WASHINGTON – The O&P Alliance has issued a statement opposing direct-to-consumer delivery of custom orthotics and prosthetics.  The alliance, which includes the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association, American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, ABC, BOC and National Association for the Advancement of Orthotic and Prosthetic Patient Care, says such devices should be fitted by a licensed O&P professional as part of the overall plan of care. The direct-to-consumer model, they...

WATERLOO, Iowa – The Orthotic Prosthetic Group of America (OPGA) and Össur announced Cristalei Polk as recipient of the Russell Walker CP, LP Emerging Leader Grant Program at the Academy Annual Meeting & Scientific Symposium on March 3, 2022. Polk is a current prosthetic resident at ProCare Prosthetics in Buford, Ga. “I can’t say enough how proud we are to partner with Össur on this new initiative,” said Todd Eagen, president of OPGA. “The Rusty Walker...

WADSWORTH, Ohio – Foundation Wellness, a manufacturer of insoles and orthotics, recently acquired Doctor Hoy’s National Pain Relief to expand its portfolio of leading brands. Doctor Hoy’s is a topical analgesic company focused on safe and natural pain-relieving products. “We believe the brand is a great fit in our portfolio, along with PowerStep and Foot Petals, and will strengthen our ability to empower customers to lead active and pain free lives,” said Sean Williams,...

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. – Össur has announced that its Empower By Össur program has earned renewed certified status for information security by HITRUST. HITRUST CSF Certified status means that Empower by Össur has met key regulations and industry defined requirements, and that it is appropriately managing risk. “Organizations and programs like Empower by Össur are under more pressure than ever to meet complex compliance and privacy requirements that include technical...

WASHINGTON – While CMS has not officially released it, the 2022 O&P Medicare fee schedule is expected to increase by 5.1%, according the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association.  That is larger than any annual Medicare increase in the last 30 years, says AOPA.  The annual increase to the Medicare O&P fee schedule is based on the annual change to the Consumer Pricing Index for all urban areas (CPI-U) from June to the same month the previous year, adjusted by an annual productivity...

Ashlie White isn’t an O&P clinician but, as the daughter of a prosthetist, she grew up in the profession. After beginning a career in documentary work and journalism, she went to work at her family’s O&P clinic, eventually landing at the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, where she serves as director of health policy and strategic alliances.  “I was always called back to the patient advocacy of the work,” she said. “The exposure to the change that...

Orthotics and prosthetics are somewhat out of the mainstream when it comes to home medical equipment and specialists in the field say it has its challenges regarding reimbursement and logistics. Yet the product types within the category dovetail nicely with the major HME markets, such as mobility, rehab and respiratory because those clients often need them.  As a category, O&P encompasses a wide range of products serving a diverse patient population. Because many HME patients have chronic...

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice has announced criminal charges against 138 defendants for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes, including those involving telemedicine and DME, that have resulted in about $1.4 billion in alleged losses.  Of the total, 43 defendants have been charged for their participation in schemes involving telemedicine, resulting in $1.1 billion in alleged losses. Certain telemedicine execs allegedly paid doctors and nurse...