December 3, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 192 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H9210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        MEDICARE ORTHOTICS AND PROSTHETICS PATIENT-CENTERED CARE

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support 
of H.R. 5262, the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered 
Care Act, a bill I am happy to cosponsor with my colleague, 
Representative   Mike Thompson of California.
  After being seriously injured, the last thing any individual should 
be worried about is further hardships like financial stress or fraud. I 
have seen these challenges firsthand, having served many years as a 
therapist and a licensed nursing home administrator.
  I am proud to cosponsor this bipartisan bill to help mitigate these 
burdens in the O&P sector and ensure these individuals have access to 
quality, affordable orthotics and prosthetics.
  The Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act aims to:
  Ensure truly off-the-shelf orthotics are eligible for competitive 
bidding;
  Prohibit the practice of drop shipping prostheses and custom orthoses 
to Medicare beneficiaries;
  Create requirements that better distinguish orthotists and 
prosthetists from suppliers; and
  Standardize the definition of orthotics and prosthetics.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5262 to ensure quality orthotic 
and prosthetic care for Medicare patients and better protect these 
individuals from fraud.

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