Current Pedorthics www.pedorthics.org Volume 39, Number 3 May/June 2007 Inside Look: PFA’s Annual Symposium Pages 22-28 CURRENT PEDORTHICS M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 7 Hyperidrosis – By the Pint 16 FEATURES 6 Cover Feature: Footloose: It’s Time for Tennis to Break Tradition By Mel Cheskin MBS., C.Ped 10 A Differential Diagnois of Peripheral Vascular Diseases By Paul A. Chromey, C. Ped 16 22 Hyperidrosis – By the Pint By Mel Cheskin MBS., C.Ped PFA Symposium Presentation: Symptomatic Progressive Flatfoot Deformities By Nancy Naftalin, C-Ped, SA-C. 26 Billing: Is Money Lurking in your O&P Closet? 28 General Principles of Joint Stability DEPARTMENTS 4 President’s Message 32 Association News 34 Industry News 36 Government Affairs 38 Resource Center 42 Vendor News 46 Pedorthic Industry Events 48 New PFA Members 49 Advertisers Index 50 Pedorthic Marketplace 51 Product Reference Guide By Joe Sansone By Roy Lidtke, D.P.M CURRENT PEDORTHICS • May/June 2007 1 Pedorthic Footwear Association Board of Directors Randy Stevens, C. Ped., BOCped., CFO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President Dane LaFontsee, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President Kristi Hayes, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary/Treasurer Mike Forgrave, C. Ped., C. Ped. (C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Immediate Past President Jamie Dick, PT, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Arthur Smuckler, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Michael D. Veder, C. Ped., CO, BOCO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Faith Ballard, C. Ped., CO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Alan Barthold, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Harlon Compton, C. Ped., CO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Liz Chiles, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Stuart L. Pressman, C. Ped., CO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director David Solomon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vendor/ManufacturerLliaison Allan J. Weiner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Legal Counsel Headquarters Staff Executive Director Brian K. Lagana Membership Services Coordinator Erin L. McGill Director of Education Al Baggett Education Associate Andrea Tsupros David J. Levine, DPM, C. Ped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medical Advisor Craig Young, MD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medical Advisor Raymond L. Fritz, DPM, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medical Advisor Meetings and Conventions Manager Cele Fogarty Editorial Staff Exhibits and Sponsorship Coordinator Monica Kurlemann Jay Strother. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publisher Dennis Coyle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor William Wargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Design/Production Advertising & Services Erin McGill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Membership Brian K. Lagana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Current Pedorthics Monica Kurlemann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PFA Symposium Director of Marketing Gregory Akroyd Marketing Associate Nikita Wilson Current Pedorthics, Publisher Jay Strother Current Pedorthics (ISSN 1552-8111) is published bimonthly by the Pedorthic Footwear Association (PFA), 2025 M St., NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Telephone: 202-367-1145 or 800-673-8447, Fax: 202-367-2145, Web site: www.pedorthics.org, E-mail: info@pedorthics.org. Copyright© 2007, PFA. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission. Letters to the Editor and other unsolicited material are assumed intended for publication and are subject to editing. Articles in CP do not necessarily reflect the opinion of PFA, its Board of Directors or its employees. 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Please send all Product News press releases to CPeditorial@pedorthics.org. 2 CURRENT PEDORTHICS • May/June 2007 Current Pedorthics, Editor Dennis Coyle AD Page Name: PEL Supply Company Location: Page 3 Pickup: March/April 07 A MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRIAN LAGANA PFA Continues Its Government Affairs Activities, Lobbying Efforts A s this issue of Current Pedorthics was going to press, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) introduced H.R. 2888, the Medicare Diabetic Footwear Quality Restoration Act of 2007 (see the July/August 2007 issue of CP for more information on this bill). Written in cooperation with the Pedorthic Footwear Association, this bill, if enacted, would restore Medicare’s Therapeutic Shoes for Persons with Diabetes benefit (TSD) to a standalone benefit, repealing the reduction in reimbursement rates that the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) subjected the benefit to by placing it within the orthotics and prosthetics category. H.R. 2888 is a reintroduction of PFA’s earlier effort with H.R. 1416 during the two years of the 109th Congress. H.R. 1416 built considerable interest in pedorthics on the Hill, and, while the bill did not pass, it did garner 23 co-sponsors. PFA has been working to reverse the impact of the MMA on the pedorthic community for almost four years. Beside this, other government affairs efforts include: • Successfully enhancing the visibility of pedorthics by working with the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) to add pedorthists as a practitioner group under Specialty Code 57; • holding a Capitol Hill briefing on the TSD attended by some 45 members of Congress and staff; • testifying before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ Committee on Professional Licensure in support of legislation to implement pedorthic licensure in that state; • raising awareness of the licensure issue and the pedorthic credential by exhibiting at the National Conference of State Legislature’s annual conference; • successfully advocating the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement quality supplier regulations for practitioners accessing Medicare’s TSD benefit program; 4 CURRENT PEDORTHICS • March/April 2007 • seeking clarification from CMS relative to the current applicability of CR 3959 in light of Medicare’s new quality supplier requirements for DMEPOS suppliers; • successfully advocated CMS to include pedorthic references on the newest version of the CMS-855 Form; • working with the SADMERC to develop a definition for a medical grade shoe as part of a broader rewrite of the TSD HCPCS codes; and • securing experts from CMS to speak at PFA’s 2007 Symposium on the important topics of DMEPOS competitive bidding, qualified provider regulations and facility accreditation requirements within the context of pedorthics. Unlike other membership benefits that PFA provides, such as credit card processing, shipping, professional liability and malpractice insurance, Current Pedorthics magazine and continuing education programming, government affairs and lobbying are intangible benefits that take considerable time to show success, and, like it or not, that success is enjoyed by both members and non-members of PFA. However, government affairs and lobbying are critical benefits that PFA must provide in order to protect the pedorthic practitioner’s ability to practice, keep the pedorthic community updated on the latest news and regulations impacting the profession, strive to enhance standards to protect the patient and ensure benefit integrity, and maintain an effective presence with the governmental decision makers at the federal and state levels. Your continued support of PFA’s government affairs and lobbying program has made PFA the leader in representing the interests of credentialed pedorthic practitioners in the United States. While it isn’t always possible to accelerate the legislative or regulatory processes in Washington, D.C., or the state capitals, PFA will work as hard as possible to make a positive impact on them over time. Just as important, we will keep you informed and engaged in our efforts on your behalf. Brian K. Lagana PFA Executive Director