The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) released its latest webcast in which Peter Thomas, JD, discussed the association’s advocacy on tariffs, funding of O&P research and service programs, and opposition to competitive bidding of off-the-shelf orthotics, as major parts of the US government continue to remain closed.
Commerce department investigation on medical devices: Annika Berlin, NAAOP’s 2025 George and Dena Breece Fellow, produced a detailed analysis of how tariffs impact O&P, Thomas said. This analysis included an explanation of how the Nairobi Protocol is used to secure duty-free treatment of certain imported O&P components that assist people with disabilities and how manufacturers can obtain approval for duty-free O&P components manufactured outside the US. This formed the basis of an O&P Alliance-issued joint paper on this topic. Thomas said this enabled NAAOP to work with its O&P Alliance partners to submit comments in mid-October on a notice published by the Commerce Department announcing an investigation into medical device imports and their impact on national security. The O&P Alliance comment letter highlighted the importance of maintaining patient access to O&P care, the heavy reliance on American O&P manufacturing within the global supply chain, and the importance of maintaining the Nairobi Protocol to facilitate duty-free access to certain O&P imports.
Government shutdown: As the government enters its fourth week of a partial shutdown, both parties are finally starting to discuss how to break the impasse. The Senate voted 11 times over three weeks on the same bill to extend temporary government funding through a Continuing Resolution but failed to pass the bill each time. All government employees have been furloughed without pay except those deemed to be essential workers. The good news, Thomas said, is that Medicare providers and suppliers, including O&P clinics, will continue to have their claims paid during this time period with limited delay. But major federal programs important to the O&P community are at risk. For instance, O&P outcomes research funding through the Department of Defense may have been diverted to pay the US military during the shutdown. It is not clear whether those funds were, in fact, impacted, nor is it clear whether they will be restored once an appropriations bill finally passes and the government reopens. NAAOP will continue to closely monitor and report as this situation develops, Thomas said.
George Breece’s Retirement: George W. Breece, NAAOP’s founding executive director, announced in September that he will retire after 38 years at the helm of NAAOP. The NAAOP board wished Breece well in his next chapter and thanked him for his decades of service to O&P patients and the providers who serve them. While Breece cannot be replaced, NAAOP is planning for its next chapter as well and will have announcements in the near future, Thomas said.
To view a recording of the webinar, visit NAAOP’s website.
To watch the latest NAAOP webcast visit its You Tube page.
