House Introduces Medicare O&P Patient Centered Care Act

Published in Orthotics & Prosthetics on March 29, 2021

Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA), GT Thompson (R-PA), GK Butterfield (D-NC), and Brett Guthrie (R-KY) re-introduced the bipartisan Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act (H.R 1990). The bill is identical to the House version of the bill (H.R. 5262) that was introduced last year, which means we can build on the awareness and support for the bill from the previous Congress. The bill would accomplish four key priorities for the orthotic and prosthetic profession. It would:

  • Distinguish durable medical equipment (DME) from clinical, service-oriented O&P care in the Medicare statute and regulations, leading to recognition of the clinical care O&P practitioners provide.
  • Limit the definition of “off-the-shelf” (or “OTS”) orthotics to devices that truly require only “minimal self-adjustment” by the beneficiary him- or herself. This would help ensure that patients continue to have access to the clinical orthotic services they need.
  • Ban drop-shipping to patients’ homes of custom fit and custom fabricated orthoses and prostheses to prevent fraud and abuse and ensure patient access to clinical O&P care
  • Exempt licensed and certified O&P practitioners from OTS competitive bidding, treating them similarly to physicians and therapists by allowing them to provide OTS orthoses to their patients—without a contract—at the competitive bidding rate (not the higher fee schedule amount).

Watch the announcement from Peter W. Thomas, General Counsel of NAAOP below.

Request that your members of Congress become co-sponsors today!


TAGS

  1. advocacy
  2. orthotics and prosthetics
  3. vgm government

From Our Experts

CMS Proposed Rule: What It Means To O&P Providers thumbnail CMS Proposed Rule: What It Means To O&P Providers Watch this update from VGM's Melanie Ewald, VP of Payer Relations and Reimbursement, on the potential impact of the CMS proposed rule on O&P providers. Jeff Kessler Named New Director of OPGA thumbnail Jeff Kessler Named New Director of OPGA OPGA is proud to announce that Jeff Kessler will be the director of OPGA effective October 1, 2025. O&P Advocacy in Action in Indiana thumbnail O&P Advocacy in Action in Indiana Learn how dedicated O&P professionals in Indiana are shaping orthotic legislation and improving patient care in prosthetics & orthotics. O&P Legislation: A Bill Where All Parties Benefit thumbnail O&P Legislation: A Bill Where All Parties Benefit Recent fraud takedown will fuel support for O&P legislation, stakeholders say. Meet The 2025 O&P Woman of the Year, Fanny Schultea thumbnail Meet The 2025 O&P Woman of the Year, Fanny Schultea OPGA is proud to announce that Fanny Schultea, MS, MSEd, CPO, LP, FAAOP, Executive Director of The Orthotics and Prosthetics Foundation for Education and Research, has been selected as the 2025 O&P Woman of the Year. Announcing the Finalists for the 2025 O&P Woman of the Year Award thumbnail Announcing the Finalists for the 2025 O&P Woman of the Year Award OPGA is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2025 O&P Woman of the Year Award. These remarkable women will be honored during the AOPA National Assembly, taking place on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 9:50 a.m. in the Product Preview Theater (PPT) within the exhibit hall. NAAOP Hosts First Ever In-Person Legislative Fly-In thumbnail NAAOP Hosts First Ever In-Person Legislative Fly-In Last week, 33 stakeholders, advocates, and leaders from around the O&P industry convened at the offices of Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville PC in Washington, D.C., as part of The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics's (NAAOP) first ever in-person legislative fly-in. Co-sponsored by OPGA, the fly-in kicked off with an in-depth discussion and strategy session surrounding several legislative priorities affecting O&P providers and patients. Bipartisan Medicare O&P Bill Introduced thumbnail Bipartisan Medicare O&P Bill Introduced In a timely move ahead of next week's NAAOP Legislative Fly-In, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act, a bill aimed at improving access to high-quality orthotic and prosthetic care for Medicare beneficiaries. The Patient-Centered Care Act seeks to address critical gaps in Medicare coverage for orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) services. Under current rules, beneficiaries may receive devices without the necessary clinical services