In a statement released by the National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics, Peter W. Thomas, JD, general counsel for the NAAOP, discussed the recent advancements for the Medicare Orthotic and Prosthetic Improvement Act. Senators Olympia Snow (R-Maine),…
Month: March 2012
Hearing Loss Linked to Increased Risk of Falling
A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that people with hearing loss are at a greater risk for falling. Frank Lin, MD, PhD, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, studied data from…
CMS Releases Off-The-Shelf Orthotic HCPCS Codes
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the 2012 Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes for off-the-shelf (OTS) orthotics usually covered under the Social Security Act. OTS orthotics require minimal self-adjustment and do not require expertise in trimming,…
President Urged to Recognize Limb Loss Awareness Month
The Amputee Coalition has submitted a presidential proclamation request to designate April as Limb Loss Awareness Month. In order for the proclamation to be passed, the Amputee Coalition is requesting that supporters contact that White House and ask that the…
Study in Brain Flexibility Could Mean Advances for Neuroprosthetics
Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley and the Champalimaud Center for the Unknown in Portugal have demonstrated that through brain plasticity, the same brain circuits used to learn motor skills can be used to master purely mental tasks as…
Physician Arrested in Largest Health Care Fraud Case in US History
The FBI arrested Jacques Roy, MD of Rockwell, Texas on charges that he defrauded Medicare for nearly $375 million in billings for nonexistent home health care services since 2006, according to a press release from the Centers for Medicare &…
Justice Department Settles Allegations Related to Kyphoplasty Claims
The Justice Department has reached a settlement with 14 hospitals over allegations that the hospitals submitted false claims to Medicare. The settlements will total more than $12 million, according to a press release. The settlements resolve allegations that the hospitals,…
Padded headgear, boxing gloves lower linear impact force but not rotational
The use of padded headgear and gloves reduces the impact fighters absorb from hits to the head, according to recently published research from Cleveland Clinic — but further equipment development is needed to help lessen rotational impact forces. “There is…
In Memoriam: Lothar Wehmeier
Lothar Wehmeier Lothar Wehmeier, the founder of Rehabilitation Technical Components, Inc., passed away peacefully at his home in Kailua Kona, Hawaii late last year. Wehmeier was born in Berlin in 1933 and risked his life to escape the…
Good Surprises Go a Long Way
With little effort, you can make a client’s day by making the mundane special.