Posts Tagged ‘AFO’

Medicare AFO Height Requirement Rescinded

Posted: February 7, 2013 in AFO, ankle brace, Custom Ankle Braces
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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

Posted: February 6, 2013 in AFO, ankle brace, Custom Ankle Braces, gauntlet, Lateral Instability, Medial Instability, PTTD Ankle Braces
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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.

New Medial Upright Extension

Posted: January 4, 2013 in Custom Ankle Braces
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New Medial Upright Extension

Insightful Products responds to the new 2013 Medicare Height requirement with an adjustable medial extension that allows the practitioner the ability to remove and relocate the extension to the preferred height.

Some of our competitors have suggested additional brace add-ons that also provide additional Lcodes to solve this new height requirement. These additional Lcodes must still meet the threshold of “Medical Necessity”. For instance, a pre-tibial shell is medically needed for distribution of pressure from a floor reaction, anterior stop or solid ankle design. Free motion articulated designs, by definition, do not necessitate a pre-tibial shell. Our add-on solution does not change the well established LCode descriptors and provides some additional medial/lateral stability.

PDAC letters obtained before the rule change do not necessarily make AFOs comply with the current height requirements.

Foot of the Week – Episode 26 – Drop foot technology

Posted: September 21, 2012 in AFO, ankle brace, Custom Ankle Braces, drop foot, Drop Foot Brace, Foot of the Week, Medial Instability, Off the Shelf Ankle Braces
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http://www.insightful-products.com
In this episode of Foot of the Week, Insightful demonstrates how our drop foot technology can provide better treatment by providing more accurate traction on the calf. If the portion of the AFO (called the calf section) is moving either medially or laterally off the leg, the drop foot AFO brace can be adjusted using a longer tensor that comes with the ankle brace. By simply installing the longer tensor on the side of the brace that is opposite the direction the brace needs to be tilted, you can shift the portion of the AFO in the direction needed. For example, if a left foot AFO is coming off medially (or coming off towards the middle), then swap the long tensor on the medial side to shift it towards the lateral side. If the left foot brace is coming off the calf laterally (or towards the outside of the leg), then install the longer tensor on the lateral side to push the calf section medially. The opposite if true for a Right foot AFO.

New Custom AFO for PTD Testimonial, Dr. Marc Feder, DPM

Posted: July 3, 2012 in AFO, ankle brace, Custom Ankle Braces, Medial Instability, PTTD Ankle Braces, Testimonial
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Dr. Marc Feder, DPM, talks about the new Blaze MI AFO for post tib (Posterior Tibial Tendonitis or PTD). The Blaze MI ankle brace is a custom ankle foot orthosis that helps people with medial ankle instability. It is an articulated design that works well for those with early stage PTTD.

See http://www.insightful-products for more info.

Foot of the Week – Episode 25 – Best Post Tib Brace

Posted: April 9, 2012 in AFO, ankle brace, Casting, Custom Ankle Braces, Foot of the Week, PTTD Ankle Braces
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In this video blog, we discuss the importance of casting the post tib patient’s foot and ankle in a neutral position. If the cast is taken in a full weight bearing position, it can be difficult to provide the needed correction to the AFO or custom ankle brace for posterior tibial tendonitis.

Foot of the Week – Episode 24 – Best Drop Foot Brace

Posted: January 24, 2012 in AFO, ankle brace, drop foot, Drop Foot Brace, Foot of the Week, Off the Shelf Ankle Braces
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In this week’s vblog, we take you to an indoor tennis facility where one of our drop foot patients happily wears, what she calls, the best drop foot brace on the market. With the Step-Smart brace for drop foot, she is able to play tennis and live an active life. See her play tennis in this video.

http://www.insightful-products.com

Foot of the Week – Episode 23 – Post Tib Brace Evolution

Posted: January 11, 2012 in AFO, ankle brace, Custom Ankle Braces, Foot of the Week, Medial Instability, PTTD Ankle Braces
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In this “Foot of the Week” episode, we talk about the evolution of the medial malleolar window in our custom brace design for post tib or posterior tibial tendonitis (PTTD or PTD). The Blaze MI brace includes a relief for the medial malleolus called a window, and since its orgination, the shapes have changed. Now the brace even includes a relief or window for the navicular or any other prominent bone of the foot. This provide the required support while also providing the needed space and “give” when pressures and pain are high.

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

Posted: December 6, 2011 in AFO, ankle brace, drop foot, Drop Foot Brace, Foot of the Week
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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 20 – Fitting AFO in Shoe

Posted: November 22, 2011 in AFO, ankle brace, Custom Ankle Braces, Foot of the Week, Footwear, PTTD Ankle Braces
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In this week’s video blog, we have a guest appearance by Diana Bean, granddaughter of LL Bean, who happens to wear Insightful’s Blaze MI brace for post tib (posterior tibial tendonitis). She had some pain in her toe caused by a condition called hammertoes. This condition is not addressed by the Blaze brace, but provided us an opportunity to show how shoes often need adjustment in order to relieve pain and discomfort. In this particular situation, the shoe needed to be marked in the area creating the pressure so that the orthotist could remove some material from the shoe thereby creating more space for the problematic toe. Often times when pressure or irritation is a problem, people incorrectly think that adding padding is the answer. The solution is actually the reverse of what most people might think. Rather than adding more padding or cushioning to the area of the foot and ankle, the answer is to remove material from the shoe or ankle brace, creating the required space. This is called a “relief” for the prominent area of the foot and ankle. This is a practice commonly used in AFO’s or ankle foot orthoses but also is commonly needed in shoe fitting.

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