HB441 by Rep. Johnson
Please consider a favorable vote on HB441.
Exact same bill was passed last year by both the house and the senate, only to be pocket vetoed by the governor (SB306).
This bill will ensure that:
- Homecare qualified providers are and will be required to purchase a business license in all municipalities where a brick and mortar facility is located.
- This bill only applies to a very small number of qualified homecare providers that are licensed by the State of Alabama or hold State of Alabama issued Certificate of Need.
- This bill only applies to services that are reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid, and Third Party Payers (BCBS, etc.). A cash sale / service would require a business / delivery license.
- This legislation provides regulatory relief if annual gross receipts are under $75,000.
The reasons why this legislation is so important and reintroduced again:
- Homecare providers are currently required to purchase business / delivery license for making a single visit to patient’s residence. Homecare providers are not permitted to increase payment fees to cover the expenses of business / delivery licenses as our primary payers are Medicare, Medicaid, etc. who establish a set fee schedule. For example, Medicare requires that equipment is delivered and patients instructed on use without additional delivery fee regardless of where and how far away the patient resides.
- Homecare providers are currently targeted by “bounty hunter” auditors that seek to go back 5 years to assess a license fee plus interest and penalties that merely allege without any specific dates, times or locations that the provider is subject to licensure in multiple municipalities. There are a number of homecare companies that maybe on verge of bankruptcy because of unreasonable audits; we have seen assessments of up to $250,000.
- The current business / delivery license requirements are restricting patients’ access to least costly and preferred type of healthcare as qualified providers are limiting their service areas to avoid excessive requirements, assessments, and administrative burdens.
I respectfully ask for your favorable vote on HB441. We are talking here about a tiny segment of the healthcare market that does business on fixed rates, keeps families together, decreases healthcare costs by keeping patients out of hospitals and nursing homes, and helps small businesses. Thank you.
Peter Czapla (334) 312-7336
Tami Teague (334) 315-0777
HOT TOPICS for APOA MEMBERS!
APRIL 11, 2017
PLEASE MAKE CALLS IN SUPPORT OF SB316 - DELIVERY LICENSE BILL
Counties and municipalities, collection of local taxes by Revenue Dept., interest rate by general law, delivery licenses, exemption of small deliveries, provision for increases deleted, issuance fee, Secs. 11-3-11.3, 11-51-194, 11-51-208, am'd.
Here is the latest bill text.
The limit has been raised from $5,000 to $75,000.
* Currently if you deliver a brace or prosthetic into a city that you do not have a physical location in you are required to buy a business license in EACH CITY. For many of us this does not have an effect, but stop and think of the DME companies that must deliver oxygen and beds. They may service 10-20 cities if not more. In the O&P market I know that I work with many therapists from the school systems, to home health that require me to cross city limits. The other issue to consider is that this only applies to us that provide personal service. If you use a common delivery service (UPS, FEDEX, etc.), you were not affected by the current situation. This placed small, local businesses at a disadvantage to the national companies that are shipping products into our areas! Regardless of how many cities that you service, the current situation allows an independent auditing company to go through your books and look at your business, and tie up your time and personnel. Regardless this bill needed to pass!
Please call your state senators and let them know that they need to support SB316.
PLEASE MAKE CALLS IN SUPPORT OF SB316 - DELIVERY LICENSE BILL
Counties and municipalities, collection of local taxes by Revenue Dept., interest rate by general law, delivery licenses, exemption of small deliveries, provision for increases deleted, issuance fee, Secs. 11-3-11.3, 11-51-194, 11-51-208, am'd.
Here is the latest bill text.
The limit has been raised from $5,000 to $75,000.
* Currently if you deliver a brace or prosthetic into a city that you do not have a physical location in you are required to buy a business license in EACH CITY. For many of us this does not have an effect, but stop and think of the DME companies that must deliver oxygen and beds. They may service 10-20 cities if not more. In the O&P market I know that I work with many therapists from the school systems, to home health that require me to cross city limits. The other issue to consider is that this only applies to us that provide personal service. If you use a common delivery service (UPS, FEDEX, etc.), you were not affected by the current situation. This placed small, local businesses at a disadvantage to the national companies that are shipping products into our areas! Regardless of how many cities that you service, the current situation allows an independent auditing company to go through your books and look at your business, and tie up your time and personnel. Regardless this bill needed to pass!
Please call your state senators and let them know that they need to support SB316.
Welcome
Alabama Prosthetic & Orthotic Association is committed to providing continuing education of the highest standard. Newsletters, seminars, workshops and publications keep members and industry colleagues up to date on all matters relevant to the profession including the latest clinical and technical research and development. APOA, its members, volunteers and consultants work on your behalf on issues involving federal and state government. APOA is actively involved in a wide range of issues affecting Alabama orthotists and prosthetists, pedorthists and mastectomy providers including licensure, professional standards and reimbursement. |
FAQ
Q.
What's the difference between the Alabama Prosthetic & Orthotic Association (APOA) and the Alabama State Board of Prosthetists & Orthotists (ASBPO)? A. The APOA is a non-profit professional association. The ASBPO is a State Board created by the State Legislature of Alabama. The Legislature declares that in order to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Alabama against the unauthorized, unqualified, and improper administration of prosthetic and orthotic care, it is necessary to provide for the licensing and regulation of persons offering prosthetic and orthotic services to the public. Alabama Board of Prosthetists and Orthotists Post Office Box 1052 Montgomery, AL 36101 Ronald E. Ezell, Executive Director Phone: 334-420-1111 Fax: 334-262-8811 Email Address Office Address: 441 High Street, Suite 113 Montgomery, AL 36104 Business Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Monday-Friday) Alabama State Board of Prosthetists & Orthotists BOARD MEMBERS Glenn Crumpton, CPO, LPO, C-PED Presiding Officer 1906 Beauvoir Lake Drive Montgomery, AL 36117 Phone: 334-284-0250 Fax: 334-280-2853 Email: aalcoinc@aol.com Stephen A. Blackwell , CPO, LPO, FAAOP Secretary 103 Stoney Creek Drive Florence, AL 35637 Phone: 256-764-8673 Fax: 256-764-0872 Email: sab@hiwaay.net Angela James, LO 936 46th Street Ensley Birmingham, AL 35208 Phone: 205-787-2303 Email: ajames@hanger.com John L. Keating, Consumer 7600 Mossy Oak Drive Montgomery, AL 36117 Email: jkeating@charter.net Phone: 334-277-7866 Stephen Dwayne Mullins, CPO, LPO 3616 7th Court South Birmingham, AL 35222 Phone: 205-324-2461 Email: moondogfly@msn.comMary T. Powers-Watts, CPO, LPO 585 Naftel Ramer Road Ramer, AL 36069 Phone: 334-286-9919 Fax: 334-284-8245 Email: mtpwpres@aol.com Dr. Michael L. Rosenberg, DPM 1831 Halcyon Blvd. Montgomery, AL 36117 Phone: 334-396-3668 Email: mlrdpm@gmail.com Dr. Brian C. Gary, MD Chief of Surgery Jackson Hospital & Clinic 1722 Pine Street, Suite 503 Montgomery, AL 36106 Willis H. Smitherman, CPO, LPO 101 Fair Oak Drive Dothan, AL 36303 Phone: 334-792-4330 Fax: 334-794-6741 Email: wsmitherman@yahoo.com |
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