11-05-07
New Member Resource: Medicare Local Coverage Determination Advocacy Packet
AOTA’s Reimbursement and Regulatory Policy Department has released its Medicare Local Coverage Determination (LCD) Advocacy Packet to assist members and state associations to assert and protect the occupational therapy scope of practice.
Increasingly, Medicare contractors are using LCDs to control utilization. While many LCDs recognize the full scope of occupational therapy practice, LCDs frequently present inappropriate or erroneous information on the occupational therapy scope of practice and that of other therapy disciplines.
Further, these inappropriate LCDs may lead to AOTA members receiving widespread Medicare denials of claims for services that occupational therapists are educated and licensed to provide. The LCDs may also be in conflict with applicable state law and may be even more restrictive than national Medicare policy issued by CMS.
The LCD Advocacy Packet is designed to provide AOTA members with all the resources and tools needed to fight improper Medicare denials and incorrect coverage policies written into Medicare LCDs.
It includes user-friendly educational materials (Medicare fact sheets and AOTA official documents) and resources for guidance, such as sample AOTA comment letters and local contractor contacts. Using the packet, members can work with AOTA to fight against improper denials from Medicare.
View and/or download the Medicare LCD Advocacy Packet.
Should you have questions about the packet, you can e-mail AOTA at
rrpd@aota.org.