The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has instructed the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DME MACs) to immediately begin recognizing the orthotist’s and prosthetist’s clinical documentation as part of patients’ medical record.
The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) and its lobbying team have been pressing CMS to begin implementing the provisions about clinical documentation by O&P professionals that was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-123), Section 50402, including consulting with officials at the Office of Management and Budget.
On May 24, CMS’ Director of Program Integrity, Alec Alexander, responded to a letter from AOPA and its representatives by writing that CMS “has issued instruction to the [DME MACs] to implement Section 50402 immediately.”
AOPA suggests that its members consider including a copy of the letter, which can be found on AOPA’s website at www.aopanet.org, with all submitted claims.
