From left: Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), Peter Thomas, and Gerard Francisco, MD.
The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics & Prosthetics (NAAOP) helped to sponsor a briefing on the importance of rehabilitation in America’s healthcare system. The briefing, held on Thursday, June 23, took place in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center and highlighted for policymakers the value of rehabilitation and habilitation services and devices for people who sustain injuries and have disabilities or chronic conditions.
Peter Thomas, NAAOP general counsel, moderated the briefing and provided the context for the information presented to attendees. Thomas spoke about the regulatory efforts of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the criteria and scope of the essential health benefits package, which will include the category of “rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices” as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. He also discussed current state efforts to cut Medicaid benefits and the importance of protecting coverage of rehabilitative services and devices across the country. Finally, Thomas stressed the importance of understanding the cost-effectiveness of rehabilitation services and devices as Congress and the President negotiate significant reforms to the entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid in the context of raising the nation’s debt ceiling.
Thomas related his own experience with rehabilitation care and his lifelong use of prosthetic limbs to exemplify how important it is that insurance-whether private or government-sponsored-include coverage of orthotic and prosthetic care, including replacements, services, and supplies that permit the effective use of O&P devices.
The featured speaker of the briefing was Gerard Francisco, MD, the chief medical officer at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) Memorial Hermann, Houston, Texas, and the chairman of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Brain Injury Fellowship Director at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Francisco is the attending rehabilitation physician for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who sustained a brain injury as a result of a gunshot wound earlier this year. He spoke about the impact of rehabilitative and habilitative services on the health, functional status, and ability of Americans with brain injuries and other disabilities to recover from trauma and disease and live independently in their homes and communities. Francisco illustrated his points with references to the congresswoman’s rehabilitation program and spoke to Giffords’ strength and hard work during her recovery.
Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), co-chair of the House Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus and the only quadriplegic in Congress, delivered closing remarks at the briefing. At least 70 congressional staffers attended the briefing representing dozens of House and Senate offices, including several Members who serve on relevant health committees. NBC and ABC News videotaped the entire briefing, and there were also writers from Hill publications, including Politico, which ran multiple stories on the event.
“By all accounts, the briefing was a strong success,” NAAOP said in a press release. “The room was overfull and congressional staff was presented with a wide range of information on rehabilitation and the value of O&P patient care, all designed to assist legislators and regulators with O&P public policy in the future.”
