STATE BY STATE Become an AOPA State Rep.
State-Level Grassroots Advocacy
If you are interested in participating in the AOPA State Reps network, email smiller@AOPAnet.org.
Updates on AOPA’s efforts in California, Iowa, and New York
Each month, State By State features news from O&P professionals about the most important state and local issues affecting their businesses and the patients they serve. This section includes information about medical policy updates, fee schedule adjustments, state association announcements, and more. These reports are accurate at press time, but constantly evolve. For up-to-date information about what is happening in your state, visit the Co-OP at www.AOPAnet.org/resources/co-op.
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LONG WITH A FEDERAL ACTION CENTER at AOPAVotes.org, AOPA
has recently deployed a powerful Capitol Canary grassroots advocacy platform to address several state-level policy challenges. By engaging AOPA members and making their voices heard in statehouses across the country, we can advance the interests of the O&P field and ensure that policymakers understand the concerns of O&P professionals. Here is a glimpse into a few of AOPA’s state advocacy campaigns.
California
In collaboration with the California Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, AOPA has created a California Action Center to host an advocacy campaign focused on increasing Medi-Cal reimbursement rates for O&P. This two-pronged grassroots campaign is focused on influencing the state budget request process as well as garnering legislator support for AB 1982. Visit the California Action Center at https://p2a.co/ybh6dtq.
Iowa
AOPA has worked with the Iowa Prosthetic, Orthotic, and Pedorthic Association to support HF 2411, legislation that would require 48
MAY 2022 | O&P ALMANAC
employers to furnish medically necessary prosthetic repair and replacement for workers’ compensation patients. To gather support for the bill, AOPA has created an Iowa Action Center, adapting the grassroots campaign to target key policymakers as the bill moves first through the House and then through the Senate. Visit the Iowa Action Center at https://p2a.co/janxfeb.
New York
Last year, AOPA drafted and introduced a bill that would direct the New York Commissioner of Health to study Medicaid O&P coverage. Complementing this legislation is AOPA work supporting a group of member advocates in the state as they push for increased Medicaid reimbursement. AOPA has created a New York Action Center with grassroots campaigns supporting both of these efforts. Visit the New York Action Center at https://p2a.co/4sthmnf.
Share Experiences in Your Home State
AOPA is here to help you better serve your patients. If you’re encountering a policy challenge in your state, contact Sam Miller, AOPA’s state and federal advocacy manager, at smiller@AOPAnet.org.
