Volume 2, Issue 2
July 2008

Message From President

I want to personally thank everyone that attended our April 25th membership meeting in Wisconsin Dells. We ended up with 33 attendees/members and 13 exhibitors; a new record for WSOPP and signs that we are growing! Even more exciting is the fact that all 13 supplier exhibitors have registered as corporate sponsors of WSOPP, showing that they too back and support our efforts.

We, WSOPP, are now being noticed, recognized and respected! We now have a dialog with the powers to be at Medicaid, we have submitted a Parity Bill to the State Legislature, drafted a proposed Licensure Bill, and the number of members and exhibitors, our all important suppliers, has increased for every meeting. If we want to continue and increase WSOPP's influence and benefits to our three professions: Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics, we need to continue to increase our membership. As I said, we have definitely been recognized, but we will only gain in credibility as and if we represent more and more of the practitioners and facilities throughout the State of Wisconsin

Please renew your membership for 2009, encourage your co workers, colleagues and employers to sign on, join the organization that represents all of us, and truly cares about our future!

Be sure to mark September 26, 2008 on your calendar for our Semi-Annual Membership Meeting were you will get an update on what is going on with your organization!. It will be held at Olympia Resort in Oconomowoc. We will have an educational component, so that you will take home something that you can use in your practice as well as receive some Continuing Education credit. Medicaid Representatives have also been invited to discuss the new InterChange automated system and provide continued information as to the PA process and how to effectively compose a PA for O&P services.

As always, I invite you to contact any of WSOPP's committee chairpersons to discuss the progress of the committee.

Dennis Janisse, C.Ped
janisse@execpc.com

ACA Announces the introduction of HR 5615-Federal Prosthetic Parity

On March 13, 2008 the Prosthetic Parity Act was introduced into the 110th Congress of the United States of America as House Resolution 5615. The bill was authored by Representative Robert Andrews (D-NJ), with Representatives George Miller (D-CA), Todd Platts (R-PA), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) signing on as original co-sponsors. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) recently signed on as a co-sponsor.

Calendar of Events

Semi-Annual Membership Meeting

Inside this issue

• Calendar
• April 2008 Minutes
• Parity Report
• Licensure Report
• Medicaid Report
• Treasury Report

Minuets: April 25 Membership Meeting

The following minutes are a condensed summation of the actual recorded minutes. For a copy of the full minutes, please contact Andrea Pavlik, CO at (920)-803-9610.

The meeting was called to order at 3:00 PM by President Dennis Janisse. Dennis addressed the membership about the direction WSOPP has taken and some of the work to date. Dennis also indicated that although great progress is being made it is being accomplished by a very limited amount of members. Dennis requested that every WSOPP member advocate for additional members and additional volunteers to assist us in accomplishing our goals.

Minutes

The minutes form the October 5, 2007 meeting were distributed and accepted by a unanimous vote.

Treasury Report

Jim Sadjak, treasurer, announced that the balance in the WSOPP account is at $22, 501. Expenditures this year have been made for postage, printing, CEU applications and Membership Meeting costs.

Committee Reports

Medicaid Committee

Pam Hoffman, RN, Mary Chukka, OTR and Matt Fanale from Medicaid presented in the morning session. Their presentations included tips on writing better PA's, and upcoming changes to the Medicaid program and computer systems. They will be announcing training sessions later this fall on their new automated systems.

Greg Gruman, chair of the Medicaid Committee made note that the morning presentation session by Medicaid Representatives was very informative and evoked great group discussions.

Greg announced that the Wisconsin Medicaid Program, has done a review of their current fee schedules for O&P services and will be increasing the allowable rates in the upcoming months. This was done in an effort to more closely match current CMS policies.

Greg further explained that through WSOPP's efforts, Pam Hoffman, RN and Mark Chukka, OTR- from the Prior Auth Dept.- have now made a formal request to the state program to budget for an O&P consultant internal position within Medicaid to assist in processing and reviewing O&P prior authorization requests.

Greg closed his committee report by pointing out that within the past 1 year WSOPP has been able to establish an increased trust and improved relationship between Wisconsin Medicaid and the O&P profession. He indicated that Medicaid representatives continue to be interested in presenting at future Membership Meetings.

Licensure Committee

The licensure committee has completed a second draft of the proposed Licensure Bill. This was distributed to all members present, followed by a brief discussion. Tom Current, acting Licensure Chairman stated that continued work is being done to begin to analyze the fees involved in producing and carrying the bill, along with analyzing proposed practitioner fees for licensure. Tom indicated that the licensure committee is in need of additional volunteers to analyze the remaining data. The next Licensure committee meeting will be on May 12, 2008.

Parity Committee

Jake Wood distributed a "Parity Packet" to all present membership containing a draft letter, timetable, flyer and poster for review. These materials will be produced and sent to all O&P facilities in the state once the Parity Bill is assigned a draft number. The packet will provide all the information needed to assist in the promotion and support of the Parity Bill.

The Parity committee plans on hosting a series of "Town Hall Meetings" across the state to rally the support of the general public. These meetings are proposed for Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Wausau.

The ACA has offered their assistance in providing and obtaining media coverage and obtaining patient support sources. This will be in addition to their support of HR5615 for National Parity.

Activities in the near future for the Parity Committee include sponsoring a table at "Running for Hope"

Communication Committee

Andrea Pavlik, CO reported that the committee is currently exploring website administration firms to assist in prompt updating of the current website: www.wsopp.org. This is necessary due to the need to rapidly disburse information regarding Parity and Licensure bills.

The Communications committee also has been working on securing a site for the fall 2008 Semi-Annual Membership meeting. The meeting will be held on Septamber 26, 2008 at Olympia Resort, Oconomowoc, WI. Meeting notices, along with 2009 election ballots, and the next Newsletter will be mailed out in August 2008.

UPDATE: Parity Committee

As most already know by know, our activities for parity legislation have been delayed. We have been informed that the period of opportunity to obtain a bill number has passed. Our next opportunity will begin January 2009.

In the interim, the parity committee must still move forward. Obviously our Parity calendar has changed and will be re-communicated in the near future. The Parity Committee has had a vigorous and diligent start. Volunteers have expressed disappointment in our delay but actively want to move forward. I believe we will adjust and turn this delay to our advantage. The Parity Committee is recommending that the proposed Town Hall Meetings be postponed until closer to the time when the legislative body will be considering providing us with a Parity Bill Number. It is also recommended that we have two facility packet mailings. The first facility packet with consist of and introductory letter, office poster, parity brochure, CD ROM contain all documents, petition forms and sample letters to send to patients, legislators and allied health professionals along with announcing the Town Hall Meetings. The date of these mailings will be determined in future Board Meetings.

The Parity committee is chaired by:

Jake Wood, CP
414-257-2727
KWWODK@aol.com

Please contact Jake should you have any questions regarding the committees work to date.

Parity Committee Members

Following are WSOPP members that are active on the Medicaid committee:

If you would like to join the Parity committee, or have questions, comments or concerns regarding this committee, please contact the chairman:

Jake Wood, CP
414-257-2727

2009 WSOPP Elections

The nominating committee of WSOPP is currently seeking nominations to fill the 1-year Director position. This position require the elected individual to participate in regular WSOPP Board of Directors meetings held in Milwaukee or via conference call on a bi-monthly basis.

If you are or know of an interested individual who shares WSOPP's passion of advancement of our professions please contact Dennis Janisse to file the nomination at:

janisse@execpc.com
Or
WSOPPP-Nominations
7238 West Appleton Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53216

Nominations must be submitted by August 15th, 2008.

Those nominated for the position will be clarified with the individual and presented to the membership for vote via mail. Results of the vote will be announced at the September 26, 2008 meeting in Oconomowoc, WI

UPDATE: Licensure Committe

The Licensure Committee has been continuing their efforts to draft language for the bill that is more closely aligned with the current language used for physicians, podiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, and other medical professions licensed within the State of Wisconsin. The committee is expecting to have the language finalized and approved by the Board prior to the fall 2008 membership meeting. The bill with be reviewed at the Fall 2008 membership meeting for vote on proceeding with legislative action. The committee is looking for volunteers willing to go to the capital and educate their representatives on the issue. Also on the committee agenda is to meet with each of the aforementioned licensed professional boards to present our bill and solicit their support. As presented at the spring meeting the committee continues to collect data with regard to the anticipated fees that will be charged to obtain a license and a budget to push our agenda at the capital. for the bill

The Licensure committee is chaired by:

Mick Batton, CO
920-725-6200
Mick.Batton@physiocorp.com

Please contact Mick should you have any questions regarding the committees work to date.

Licensure Committee Members

Following are WSOPP members that are active on the Medicaid committee:

If you would like to join the Licensure committee, or have questions, comments or concerns regarding this committee, please contact the chairman:

Mick Batton, CO
920-725-6200

Step up!!

Fellow Practitioners, as a professional body we are negligent in our visionary perspectives as to the future of Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics. WSOPP has now been in existence for 3 years and yet some of our professional colleagues have yet to respond to the call for your personal involvement. We all are keenly conscious of the extreme shortage of time we all have in balancing the limited hours for work, family, and other very important endeavors. But the truth is we need to cohesively work legacy, and the future of those who come after us.

WSOPP has been busy working for all of us inexhaustibly to provide a solid foundation to this end. So what you might ask is so important? We have provided and continue to provide 2 meetings a year that allow you ,the practitioners, to input your voice to the Parity Bill, and Licensure Bill that has been written and now ready for State Legislative approval. WSOPP and the subcommittee have written a comprehensive vote of approval or disapproval. Both of these potential Bills will affect the way you practice. The Licensure Bill alone will cost all of us financially. Are you willing to ignore the reality or remain complacent? Now is the time to step up to the plate and lend your voice to our profession.

Mick Batton, CO
Licensure Committee Chair
Secretary WSOPP

UPDATE: Medicaid Committee

The Medicaid Committee has taken some time to review the comments made by members at the April 2008 Membership meeting with the Medicaid Staff that was present. Our membership came up with some good suggestions on how to better work together and to address specific issues such as Therapeutic Footwear coverage. Other issues discussed included increasing fees to CMS allowables and coverage for current CMS codes not covered under the current Medicaid program. One of the advantages we were able to provide the Medicaid staff that presented at our April 2008 meeting was exposure to some of our suppliers and the products that we use.

All Medicaid staff reported back to us that this was a very valuable experience for them and they took away a better understanding of what it is we do and are able to do.

We received good feedback from the membership after the Medicaid Staff presentations at the April 2008 meeting and plan to continue those efforts. The staff has confirmed that they will be providing another presentation at our September 26, 2008 membership meeting. They will introduce the new administrative system that will take effect on October 1, 2008. They will also be hosting another Q&A session to provide problem solving tips and review previous information.

The aim of the Committee remains to improve personal relationships with Medicaid Staff to promote trust and a better working relationship between the Department and WSOPP members.

For more information on Medicaid Committee activities, contact:

Greg Gruman, CP
ggruman@winkley.com
or
715-836-7944

Medicaid Committee Members

Following are WSOPP members that are active on the Medicaid committee:

If you would like to join the Medicaid committee, or have questions, comments or concerns regarding this committee, please contact the chairman:

Greg Gruman
763-546-1177
ggruman@winkley.com

Treasury Report

The books for Fiscal Year 2008 have been maintained by current Treasurer Jim Sadjak, C.Ped.

Current Treasury statement:

As of July 1, 2008 WSOPP is in a sound financial position. We currently have a cash balance of $22,425.95.

Of this balance, $7500 has been allotted to the Parity efforts to cover printing materials and mailing fees.

We continue to seek membership and financial donations to add to our total to assist with upcoming legislative fees as we move our proposed bills forward.

WSOPP Members

CORPORATE MEMBERS

MEMBERS

AFFILIATE MEMBER

SPONSOR MEMBERS