The Chamber

Insurance Fairness For Amputees Act

Position

Orthotic and Prosthetic Parity Legislation

Insurance Fairness for Amputees Act
(S. 773)

Formerly the “O&P Parity Act”

Click here to see the
“Insurance Fairness for Amputees Act (S.773)”

The Amputee Coalition and AOPA Hail Senators Snowe (R-ME) and Harkin (D-IA) for Introducing S.773, the "Insurance Fairness for Amputees Act" in U.S. Senate

On April 8, Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced S.773, the Insurance Fairness for Amputees Act.  These same two Senators had introduced the orthotic prosthetic parity bill in 2008 and again in 2010. In its prior incarnation in 2010, the bill had been called the Senate Prosthetics and Custom Orthotics Parity Act.
 
And the Insurance Fairness for Amputees Act is more important than ever. Under the health care reform law signed in 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), there are provisions for sale of health insurance across state lines using health insurance compacts.
 
S.773 is not a mandate for coverage, but it does say that any insurer which offers orthotics and/or prosthetics coverage is required to provide it on the same terms as that policy's general medical and surgical provisions.  This means there could be no lower lifetime caps, no "one prosthesis/orthosis per life" provisions.

Latest News