The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) released a webcast in which Peter Thomas, JD, welcomed Elijah Brummond, the 2026 George and Dena Breece Fellow, and provided other O&P-related updates.
Brummond began his fellowship on June 1. He will spend the next ten weeks working in Washington DC, shadowing Thomas and learning more about O&P policy and advocacy in the broader context of rehabilitation and disability issues. Brummond will take a lead role in planning the second in-person Congressional Fly-In, a targeted set of visits to Capitol Hill in mid-July to promote the O&P Outcomes Research Program, the Medicare O&P Patient-Centered Care Act, and proposals to limit the damage from Medicare competitive bidding of off-the-shelf (OTS) orthotics.
Funding for the O&P Outcomes Research Program for fiscal year (FY) 2027 hangs in the balance, Thomas said, as the Senate and House Defense Appropriations Subcommittees deliberate on hundreds of funding requests made by representatives and senators for fiscal year 2027, which begins on October 1. NAAOP has worked closely with the O&P Alliance and the O&P research community to promote dedicated funding of $15 million annually under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for O&P outcomes research, Thomas said.
The program was previously funded from FY 2014 through FY 2023 for a collective total of approximately $116 million. The funding lapsed in FY 2024. Since then, NAAOP and its sister O&P organizations have been advocating to reinstate it. For the last two years, O&P researchers have been able to apply for funds under the peer-reviewed research account, with some success, but reinstatement of this earmarked funding would be a victory for O&P, Thomas said.
Specific guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services about the OTS orthotic competitive bidding program is expected soon, Thomas said, and is expected to include knee, back, and upper-limb OTS orthoses. The program has been modified to achieve additional savings to the Medicare program, including limiting the number of suppliers to less than ten nationwide. NAAOP and the O&P Alliance met with CMS senior staff to attempt to mitigate the negative impacts of this program, including limiting the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System codes that will be competitively bid, Thomas said.
So Every BODY Can Move (SEBCM) announced the 2026 28×28 Mobility Challenge next month, bringing together advocates, clinicians, patients, families, athletes, and allies nationwide to promote movement and expand access to prosthetic and orthotic care. Participants commit to moving at least 28 minutes a day for 28 days while raising awareness and supporting grassroots legislative advocacy efforts. Since launching in 2022, SEBCM has helped enact legislation in 14 states and continues working toward its goal of passing legislation in 28 states by the 2028 Paralympic Games.
To view the latest webcast, visit NAAOP’s website or its YouTube page.
