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| November 2007 |
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What’s Going on With APPLL?
By Paddy Rossbach, ACA President and CEO |
We have interviewed several candidates for the NGRCD; however, the most suitable candidate accepted another position. While Pressman continues to search for the right person, we have retained her to undertake some additional work revising the Action Plan, developing a fund- raising plan and timeline, developing a stepby- step Tool Kit, based on Colorado’s experience, to help states with the process of introducing parity bills to their legislature.
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In January 2005, three states had passed parity laws: Colorado, New Hampshire and Maine, while four additional states had introduced bills: California, Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut
(see map 1)
By October 2005, an additional 21 states had contacted ACA and were in varying stages of organizing a parity effort
(see map 2)
A list of the meetings attended is attached
(see attachment 2)
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The ACA has...
• Set up an advocacy section on the ACA Web site, including the:
- Action Plan
- Status of individual states attempting to introduce parity bills
- Language of individual state bills
- Parity Blog Names, an online forum where parity groups can get their message out.
• Retained the services of Robin Pressman in D.C. to search for a national grassroots campaign director (NGRCD) with experience in:
- Coalition-building
- Grassroots fundraising
- Working with state legislators and their staff
• Retained the services of Elizabeth Mansfield as an advocacy/outreach consultant to represent ACA at regional AAOP meetings and O&P schools to educate providers and students about the insurance issues facing individuals with limb loss.
Mansfield has stressed the importance not only of O&P professionals getting involved in the parity process within their state, but of educating their patients about the issue, particularly the fact that policies can suddenly change, even if the insured person has not changed employment or insurance coverage! This effort has resulted in a marked increase in the number of states working on or preparing to work on parity.
Paddy Rossbach, ACA’s President and CEO, joined representatives from the California O&P Association (COPA) in Sacramento to meet with the insurance commissioner to discuss alternative ways to address the increasing problem of reduction or elimination of coverage for prosthetic devices and services. This led to another meeting with the director of managed care who was asked to make an interpretive opinion stating that prosthetic care should be considered part of basic healthcare under physicians’ services.
Rossbach has also presented ACA’s Action Plan for People with Limb Loss (APPLL) at both the AAOP and AOPA national meetings, once in conjunction with Walt Gorsky of AOPA, to surprisingly small audiences suggesting that O&P providers are still not taking this issue seriously enough.
Look for the January 2006 edition of
APPLL Core: Access to Care |
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Map 1:
States with Parity Interest - Early 2005
Map 2:
States with Parity Interest - October 2005
Attachment 1:
APPLL Financial Report |
Revenues |
October 2004-September 2005 donations from stakeholders: Hanger, Otto Bock, and Ohio Willow Wood (OWW) |
$97,500.00 |
Other Donations |
$23,706.00 |
Revenue from “LimbStrong” wrist bands (in-kind donation from College Park) |
$4,259.40 |
Revenue from “WE CAN” fundraising campaign, posters and labels (in-kind donation from Ossur) |
$1,176.61 |
TOTAL |
$126,642.01 |
Expenses |
Supplies |
$17.98 |
Travel |
$1,736.84 |
Postage |
$116.53 |
Printing (4 pages in inMotion) |
$1,200.00 |
Communications |
$73.23 |
Salaries |
$5,650.38 |
Contractual Services |
$80,730.03 |
Total |
$89,524.99 |
Key 1—Key to 2005 Regional Outreach Calendar (See Attachment 2 Below)
| List of Abbreviations |
AAOP = American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
ACA = Amputee Coalition of America
AOPA = American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association
APOA = Alabama Prosthetic and Orthotic Association
FAOP = Florida Association of Orthotists & Prosthetists
LAOP = Louisiana Association of Orthotists & Prosthetists
MOPA = Michigan Orthotic and Prosthetic Association
NEAAOP = New England Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists
NJAAOPP = New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists
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NPAAOP = Northern Plains Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists
NWAAOP = Northwest Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists
NYSAAOP = New York State Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists
OOPA = Ohio Orthotic and Prosthetic Association
PAAAOP = Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists
SG = Support Group
WAMOPA = Western & Midwestern O&P Association
YASG = Youth Amputee Support Group |
Attachment 2: ( See Key 1 Above )
2005 ACA Regional Outreach Calendar |
Meeting |
State |
Activities & Outcomes |
April 2005 |
Newington O&P School |
CT |
Presentation |
*NWAAOP |
WA |
Exhibit (complimentary table), presentation, material distribution. 1 parity contact / 5 information requests |
May 2005 |
OOPA |
OH |
Exhibit, presentation, material distribution. Airfare covered by OOPA. 3 parity contacts / 2 information requests |
PAAAOP |
PA |
Exhibit (complimentary table), presentation, material distribution. |
June 2005 |
WAMOPA |
NV |
Exhibit (complimentary table and registration), presentation, material distribution. 5 parity contacts |
MOPA |
MI |
Exhibit (complimentary table), presentation, material distribution. |
AOPA Policy Forum |
Washinton , D.C. |
Presentation, material distribution. Distributed 150 BWCs including APPLL Executive Summary at ACA-sponsored breakfast on 6/21/05 before keynote speaker Senator Charles Grassley. |
PrimeFare |
TN |
Exhibit, material distribution. 4 information requests |
July 2005 |
LAOP |
LA |
Exhibit (complimentary table), presentation, material distribution 1 parity contact / 3 information requests. Northern Plains Chapter requested EM speak at their next meeting |
APOA |
AL |
Exhibit, presentation, material distribution |
FAOP |
FL |
Exhibit (complimentary table and registration), presentation, material distribution. Airfare covered by FAOP. 6 parity contacts / 9 information requests |
August 2005 |
ACA |
TX |
Exhibit, presentation, material distribution. |
September 2005 |
NPAAOP |
MN |
Exhibit, presentation, material distribution. |
AOPA |
NV |
Exhibit (complimentary table and registration), presentation, material distribution. 6 parity contacts |
October 2005 |
NYSAAOP |
NY |
Exhibit, presentation, material distribution |
NEAAOP |
VT |
Exhibit, presentation, material distribution |
NJAAOP |
NJ |
Exhibit, presentation, material distribution |
November 2005 |
Marlton Amputee SG |
NJ |
Presentation |
YASG |
NY |
Presentation |
NJAAOP |
NJ |
Exhibit, presentation, material distribution |
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