I am becoming very concerned about the heath care reform legislation.
Specifically the component that permits insurances to sell policies across state
lines. Many states have fought very hard to require insurance companies to
cover orthotics and prosthetics. Many other states are currently engaged
in this fight. This was in response to an increasing trend by insurance
companies to limit coverage of these services. We are a very expensive service
to provide and a very easy one to eliminate.
If this bill passes it may effectively start a rush to the bottom for
major carriers. It is my concern that insurance providers will all migrate to
the states with the least regulations. They will have no choice if they wish
to remain competitive. Many states will change their laws to encourage this
migration. Being the home state for the insurance industry would be very
lucrative for the state that wins. It is highly unlikely that a state
wishing to be friendly to insurance companies will have any or at most few
regulations on the insurance industry. Effectively this could end insurance
coverage of O and P.
Many of you are following this issue far more closely than myself. Could
this be the end of orthotic and prosthetic coverage in the US or are there
safeguards in place?
Forest R Sexton CPO
