S. 794

I will always remember August 2015 as a time of both fear and exhilaration. Amputees across the country lived with the looming threat of detrimental changes to medicare which, if implemented, would have eradicated prosthetic care as we know it. I remember shaking as I learned about the LCD as I tried to imagine the state of prosthetic care if it was implemented. I also remember the excitement of rallying the community to help create a movement against it. 100,000 signatures were obtained in a mere 17 days, a feat yet to be repeated by another disability oriented petition.  Everybody from all walks of life and from all facets of the industry worked together to voice opposition to the LCD.

Ultimately the LCD was tabled and the issue was sent to a committee.  At this time the committee is still convened and purportedly working through the issues. Little information has been yielded since the committee was established, and the community continues to watch and wait. 

Recently, a bill was introduced in the Senate which would radically change the process Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) must go through before adopting a new LCD. S.794, also known as the Local Coverage Determination Clarification Act of 2017, would drastically reform the process for enacting a LCD in the future. From full disclosure of the proposal to requiring the committee to answer concerns raised by the public, this bill would bring transparency to every stage of the process, inviting input from the public at multiple stages in development. 

This bi-partisan bill would improve the LCD process, hopefully avoiding the turmoil caused during August of 2015.  We have created sample letters that can be sent to your Senators, urging them to support S.794.  More information about the bill, and about ways to become involved, can be found on our special alert podcast.  I hope that you will consider lending your support to this effort. In my opinion, transparency in government is always a good thing!