Congratulations Jan and a personal thank you for adding oversight and
“teeth” to the law by accepting your appointment as investigator for the
Florida Department of Health.
As a patient of these services, I appreciate your highly qualified
participation in adding much needed oversight to the first state in the
nation to adopt a meaningful O&P licensure law.
I remind all O&P licensed practitioners in our state that it is each
licensee’s responsibility to reveal and report ALL unlicensed and illegal
activities that may feel is occurring.
Failure to do so would have legal implications and consequences to those
whom have knowledge of such illegal activities and fail to report it.
More importantly however, this oversight it will further add credibility and
effectiveness to our state regulation statue and provide additional safety
for all patients receiving O&P care.
Since you have asked for suggestions, and particularly in light of the
growing trend of Medicaid’s recent activity primarily thus far in
unregulated states (Massachusetts and Montana) to eliminate O&P coverage for
adults, the Department of Health and O&P Licensure Board should track the
effectiveness and success of Florida’s expanded Medicaid coverage for adults
whom have received funding for O&P services since the law was enacted and
Medicaid expanded their coverage in 1996.
When the time comes (and it well!) when Medicaid of Florida will also
consider cutbacks in O&P benefits, as state budget deficit reductions, the
statistics of amputees whom have been fully rehabilitated via Medicaid
funded O&P services and as a result may have returned to work, and possibly
withdrawn as recipients of unemployment, state assistance programs like food
stamps,and other forms of welfare , can be used to substantiate the
effectiveness and help continue the present coverage.
To continue our present benefits and perhaps increase them in the future, it
is the responsibility of all licensed practitioners and patients whom are
recipients of these health care services, to report unqualified and illegal
activities.
Tony Barr
Barr Foundation
www.oandp.com/barr
—– Original Message —–
From: “Saunders, Jan CPO”
To:
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 2:32 PM
Subject: [OANDP-L] Florida Dept Health
> I have been asked to help train the Florida Department of Health
> investigators (formerly ACHA) to identify unlicensed, and illegal activity
> with respect to Prosthetics & Orthotics in the State of Florida.
> I would like to ask practitioners in the State of Florida who have an
> interest in seeing this program work, give suggestions. I feel by asking
for
> your assistance I will be able to do a better job, as I am sure there are
> questions and concerns you may have which I have not thought about.
> Your help is appreciated.
> Thanks;
> Jan Saunders LPO
>
>
