April 17, 2013 Dear Amputee Coalition Professional Member, I am writing to you today to share with you the Amputee Coalition Position Statement on the topic of Medicare Recovery Audits for Prosthetic Devices. We understand that many prosthetic providers are encountering great challenges due to these audits, and we are very appreciative of their continued dedication to serving the amputee community. This position statement is being circulated to you today so that, as our professional member, you are aware of the approach the Amputee Coalition is taking to addressing the issue from a patient perspective. We do not take positions on public policy issues without much thought and deliberation. This issue is no exception. The issue has been under discussion within the Amputee Coalition, with our constituents, our Board of Directors and our Scientific and Medical Advisory Committee for some time. We have met with the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists and the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association on several occasions as well as consulted with the American Academy of Family Practitioners and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. As a result of these discussions and deliberations, we have developed the attached position statement that outlines our key concerns and approaches to finding solutions that best serve the patient, both in the short- and long-term. We will continue to work with our constituents to better educate them and arm them with tools to help ensure they receive medically necessary care. We will also work with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help find solutions and to mitigate negative downstream impacts on patients from overly aggressive regulatory actions and from actions focused on cost rather than the provision of the level of technology that is medically necessary for amputees to live full, productive lives. We are committed to partnering with healthcare provider trade associations to enhance the care amputees receive through education, standards of care and licensure. And, we will lead an endeavor to create a “healthcare home” for amputation care and rehabilitation that better defines the care continuum and the care team. We know that the current level of actions by CMS is a symptom of the larger issue of these programs being under pressure by Congress to decrease costs. While we support achieving efficiency in the Medicare program, we must ensure that patients receive the appropriate care and services to which they are entitled under the Medicare program and that there is a functional healthcare system in place, ready and able to provide those services. We believe that, through the actions outlined in our position statement, we will have an impact on that goal. Thank you for your continued support of the Amputee Coalition and for your professional work on behalf of the limb loss community. Sincerely, Kendra Calhoun President & CEO Amputee Coalition