The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) has released a new video webcast about the reintroduction of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights (VA Bill of Rights), House Resolution (H.R.) 3408.
In the webcast, NAAOP General Counsel Peter Thomas, JD, discusses the October 30 introduction of the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that will address “persistent deficiencies in the prosthetic and orthotic care that veterans receive across the country.” Representative Renee Ellmers, RN, (R-NC) led the introduction of the bill with bipartisan support.
H.R. 3408 would establish a list of rights to be prominently displayed on the VA website and in every VA O&P clinic across the country. Rights established under this legislation would include access to appropriate O&P technology, the right to choose an O&P practitioner both inside or outside of the VA, the right to a second opinion for O&P treatment plans, and the right to a spare prosthesis or orthosis. The bill also has a reporting mechanism so that veterans’ complaints will be heard. The bill is intended to educate the veteran as to his or her O&P expectations and empower them to become their own best advocate for their own care.
A similar bill was passed by the House in December 2010, but too late in the Congressional session for the Senate to act upon. Since the initial passage of the VA Bill of Rights, the House VA Subcommittee on Health requested and received three reports from the VA Office of Inspector General, Thomas said. It also held three hearings and a “listening session” on VA prosthetics; heard testimony from numerous Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), including John Register, an amputee veteran and NAAOP board member; and issued a number of reports on the state of VA prosthetics. In July 2012, the subcommittee also heard from the VA’s Under Secretary for Health, Robert A. Petzel, MD.
Thomas said that NAAOP is encouraging all of its members to communicate with their elected representatives about cosponsoring the bill.
The webcast is posted on the NAAOP website , shared with members via e-mail, and made available through the NAAOP page on Facebook.
