Medicare AFO Height Requirement Rescinded

As expected, the height requirement for an AFO is being removed by medicare.

Let’s get on with helping people walk!

Below is the text from the Medicare website:

February 6, 2013

Ankle-Foot Orthoses/Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses LCD related Policy Article – Revised
The related Policy Article for the Ankle-Foot Orthosis/Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis is being revised. The Policy Article with an effective date of January 1, 2013 included Coding Guidelines for AFOs that included a height requirement. The height requirement is being removed. The effective date for the revised Policy Article is for dates of service on or after January 1, 2013.

See for yourself here:
http://www.cgsmedicare.com/jc/pubs/news/2013/0213/cope21209.html

Again, the only type of AFO that requires a PDAC Coding verification letter is the L1906. Insightful does not use that code for any of its current bracing. To verify this for yourself, please see the PDAC website listing those that are required. The link to this page is below.

https://www.dmepdac.com/review/items_requiring_coding_verification_reviews.html

Finally, keep in mind that the pretibial shell that has been offered by our competitors is essentially a custom shin guard, the argument that this provides axially unloading as medical justification is risky in our opinion.

Custom Ankle Brace solutions

http://www.insightful-products.com

Insightful Products offers a full array of AFO solutions. Each of our custom AFO ankle braces is designed for a specific biomechanical problem. We have the most advanced and newest designs on the market. Our new AFO ‘s or new ankle brace solutions are the most innovative AFO ‘s in the industry.

Foot of the Week – Episode 21 – Hiking with Drop Foot

http://www.insightful-products.com/buy-afo.html

In this week’s vblog, we speak to a drop foot patient who uses the Step-Smart brace to go hiking.

Foot of the Week – Episode 19 – Drop foot Case study

In this week’s episode, we visit a local foot and ankle doctor to help fit a bilateral pair of AFO’s or ankle braces. This particular case involves a patient with foot drop or drop foot in one leg and lateral ankle instability in the other. The solution for the inversion problem was the Cuboid Lock design used for the lateral ankle problem and the Step-Smart for the Foot drop problem. The Step-Smart also provides lateral support to control inversion and will help prevent the ankle from rolling over.

Foot of the Week – Episode 13 – Leather Gauntlet AFO

In this week’s episode, we demonstrate how simple it is to put the Schooner Gauntlet style AFO on the foot and in the shoe. This gauntlet AFO is easier to put on than the Arizona AFO, the Buffalo Brace, the TCO, Amber AFO, Rybo, or Mile High AFO. All of these types of braces are used to treat PTTD, Post Tib tendon disorder (Posterior tibial tendonitis) but we believe that donning the Schooner AFO is much easier and fits better in most shoes.

Drop foot shoes – Fitting Step-Smart AFO in Shoes

 

http://www.insightful-products.com/buy-afo.html

This video shows how the Step-Smart fits in most shoes and types of shoes. There is no need to up size or buy medical shoes with our drop foot orthosis.
The Step-Smart drop foot brace is streamlined and low profile. It can even be worn with most dress shoes and sneakers and some sandals, hiking boots, and beach shoes. No need to worry about the brace getting wet either. It should work fine at the beach with the proper beach shoe! Dont be restricted to an ugly medical shoe, wear the shoe that you like. Check out the video and see for yourself how it truly does work with most shoes.

Foot of the Week – Episode 10 – AFO Solutions

In this weeks’s vblog, we discuss our pediatric AFO, called the SMO.  The SMO ankle brace or SMO orthotic, stands for Supramalleollar orthoses.  This pediatric AFO is a soft AFO for children.  The ankle orthosis allows both dorsiflexion and plantarflexion but provides the support kids require when pronation is a problem.

For questions, call us at 207 885-0414 or email us at sales@insightful-products.com

 

 

 

Foot of the Week – Episode 9 – AFO Solutions

http://www.insightful-products.com

In this weeks vblog, we demonstrate the AFO strategy used by Insightful to attach the AFO or ankle brace to the shoe using velcro.  The foot and ankle brace is attached to the shoe using hook and loop pile.  By attaching the ankle brace to the shoe, the unit becomes one.  All of Insightful’s bracing is designed to work with a shoe and not without a shoe.  Fastening the brace to the shoe makes it easier to don the brace or to put the brace on but also keeps the brace placed back in the heel of the shoe.  This keeps the brace from creeping forward in the shoe and using up space in the shoe.

Foot of the Week – Episode 8 – AFO solutions

http://www.insightful-products.com

In this Week’s vblog, we focus on a spastic foot and ankle and how an articulated ankle foot orthosis (AFO) will not control plantarflexion. Insightful will manufacture a 3 point pressure system AFO that will help control the deformity.

Foot of the Week – Episode 7 – AFO Solutions

In this Week’s video blog, we discuss the use of reliefs or windows in Insightful’s ankle bracing techniques. In the case of posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD), the medial column of the ankle can be collapsed which results in prominent areas of the foot and ankle. While we attempt to make correction to the PTTD, these areas of the foot and ankle need relief. Without relief, the post tib patient will feel pain. In order to provide correction and relief at the same time, we apply pressure to the more tolerant areas of the foot and ankle while avoiding the prominent painful areas.

For more information, go to http://www.insightful-products.com or AFO-blog.com or call us at 207-885-0414.