Hot Off the Press

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  Remote Temperature Checks Reduce Diabetic Foot Complications Kaiser Permanente and Podimetrics, a virtual care management company, announced results of a study of patients at high risk of developing foot complications from diabetes. The study   saw major amputations completely eliminated and all-cause hospi...
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  Bill to Reduce Amputations Introduced Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-NJ) introduced the Amputation Reduction and Compassion (ARC) Act that would allow Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries who are at risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD) to use the program to pay for screening tes...
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  O&P Communication Toolkit Developed After reviewing professional communication skills in O&P, researchers created a toolkit and research agenda to facilitate progress in professional communication that can be extended and implemented in daily practice. The toolkit includes reading m...
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  NAAOP Webcast: Healthcare on the Ballot The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) released its latest webcast in which Peter Thomas, JD, discussed how healthcare is playing an outsized role in the 2020 election on November 3 and urged all members...
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  Prosthesis Rejection Among Vets Centers on Device Little is known about the patterns of prosthesis use and satisfaction among veterans with upper-limb amputations who stop or begin use of the device. A research team seeking more information concluded that prosthesis abandonment appeared to cente...
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  O&P Included in Medicaid and Medicare Telehealth Services The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded the list of telehealth services that Medicare fee-for-service will pay for during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), including O&P billing codes. O&P services are included as "Or...
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  Hanger Makes Executive Appointments Hanger, Austin, Texas, announced the promotion and hiring of two senior executives to lead its two business segments, effective November 2. Regina Weger has been promoted to president, products and services, and Pete Stoy will join Hanger in the n...
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  Bill to Require Study on Coverage for Amputee Services Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC) with Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) introduced a bill to require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study coverage for services related to the amputation of a limb.
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  Simpler PPP Forgiveness Available for Loans up to $50K The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Treasury Department, released a simpler loan forgiveness application for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of $50,000 or less. The agencies will also allow PPP lenders to...
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  Prosthetic Finger Design Increases Load-Carrying Capacity A team of researchers developed a finger design for 3D-printed hand prostheses that demonstrated an increased load-carrying capacity of the finger when compared to a more commonly used design. The authors of the paper describing the device wrote t...
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  CGS Conducting Post-pay AFO Reviews The Medical Review staff of CGS, the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractor for Jurisdiction B and Jurisdiction C, will be conducting a complex post-pay service-specific medical review of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Sy...
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  Hanger Sets 3Q 2020 Earnings Call Hanger, Austin, Texas, will report its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30 after the stock market closes on Wednesday, November 4. Hanger's management team will host a conference call with the financial commu...
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  BOC Calls for Certificant of the Year Nominations The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) is calling for nominations for its second annual Certificant of the Year Award. The award recognizes one individual each year for outstanding achievements in service, research, and outreach. "BOC esta...
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  Academy Changes 2021 Annual Meeting Date The American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (the Academy) has changed the date of its 2021 Annual Meeting & Scientific Symposium to May 4-7, 2021, at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. Based on information gathered from the Centers for Disease...