Hot Off the Press

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  Reversal: OPAF Not Dissolving The board of directors of OPAF and the First Clinics held an emergency meeting on July 30 and unanimously voted to reverse its May 15 decision to dissolve the organization on July 31. Instead, OPAF will go into a state of dormancy, which will allo...
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  Patients Find CMT Orthotic Services Positive Researchers evaluating patient-reported satisfaction with orthotic devices and services in individuals with Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth (CMT) disease found that over one-third of participants provided negative responses, including dislike of the AFO's app...
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  Senators Introduce Assistive Technology Bill US Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) have introduced the  Access to Assistive Technology and Devices for Americans Study Act, a bill that will provide data for policymakers to make better decisions to help improve the li...
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  Ottobock Bringing Exoskeletons to Construction Ottobock, Duderstadt, Germany, entered into a technology partnership with the Hilti Group, a construction technology group in Lichtenstein, to develop exoskeletal systems. The companies are combining their knowledge in the fields of safety, health...
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  Fillauer, FabCo Form Fabrication Company Fillauer, Chattanooga, Tennessee, joined with FabCo Prosthetic Designs, Nashville, to create FabCo Powered by Fillauer, an affiliate of Fillauer Companies. Fillauer is moving its upper- and lower-limb prosthetics central fabrication to the Nashvil...
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  Prosthetic Interface Material Affects Gait A research team studied the influence of prosthesis interfaces on gait and on the perception of pain, comfort, and the overall interface/prosthesis system in people with transtibial amputations. When correlating the subjects' perception with the i...
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  Hanger Sets 2Q 2020 Earnings Call Hanger, Austin, Texas, will report its financial results for the second quarter (2Q) and six months ended June 30 after the stock market closes on Wednesday, August 5. Hanger's management team will host a conference call to discuss the financial r...
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  Prosthesis Control System Improves Obstacle Crossing Researchers in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Utah Robotics Center at the University of Utah have demonstrated an indirect volitional control approach that allowed prosthesis users to walk at different speeds while smoothly crossing...
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  Startup Develops Adjustable Transfemoral Prosthesis OpenGait, a startup created by graduate students, has developed a prosthesis that can be easily adjusted to help people with transfemoral amputations worldwide. Founders Lindsay Sullivan, Dustin Prescott, and Aaron Fleming identified three key loc...
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  AOPA Clarifies: CMS Phasing in Audit Resumption On July 10, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the resumption of certain audit activity beginning on August 3. However, through involvement on the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractor (DME MAC) Adv...
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  CMS to Resume Medical Review Audits The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Provider Burden Relief Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to indicate that it will "discontinue exercising enforcement discretion beginning on August...
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  SBA Reopens COVID-19 Economic Impact Loans The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBS) announced it has reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance program portal to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19. EIDL assistance can be used t...
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  CMS Requires PDAC Approval for Six O&P Codes In a joint article from the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DME MACs) and the Pricing, Data Analysis, and Coding (PDAC) contractor, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the continuation of pri...
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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...
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  BOC Seeks Nominations for Newberry Award The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) is seeking nominations for the Jim Newberry Award for Extraordinary Service. Now in its fourth year, the award recognizes outstanding individuals who demonstrate extraordinary service to BOC. It is pr...
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  Alliance Requests HHS, CMS Allow O&P Telehealth Billing On June 11, the Orthotic and Prosthetic Alliance sent a letter to the US Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ) requesting that certified and/or state licensed orthotists and p...
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  OPC Postpones Conference to 2021 Orthotics Prosthetics Canada (OPC) postponed its bi-annual conference until August 2021 due to global public health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference was originally scheduled for August 5-8 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. OP...
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  Businesses Get More Flexibility on PPP Loans The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) issued a release outlining recent changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) as follows: Congress finalized legislation this week to ensure that businesses that received a forgivable l...