Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Licensing Prosthetics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sunset review flags limited regulation, modest fund decline for Alabama Prosthetics & Orthotics board
Summary
Examiners told the Joint Interim Committee that the Alabama Board of Prosthetics & Orthotics has 353 licensees, an administrative contract worth about $117,009.47 per year and several operational issues — including missed vacancy postings, declining cash balances, and licensee concerns about insurance reimbursement and fees.
Miss Thomas presented the sunset review for the Alabama Board of Prosthetics & Orthotics, reporting statutory changes, licensing data and several governance and financial concerns.
The board, established by Act 2002‑527, regulates prosthetic and orthotic practitioners and suppliers. Miss Thomas reported 12 license types and 353 active licensees as of Oct. 1, 2024. The board uses an administrative services contract with Total Political Solutions at roughly $9,828.97 per month (about $117,009.47 annually), and the attorney general’s office provides legal counsel.
Examiners noted two recent session laws — Act 2022‑129 (clarifying an orthosis definition) and Act 2023‑326 (changing certification/approval procedures) — that affected board responsibilities. Miss Thomas said the board’s unobligated cash balance declined from $182,931 (FY 2020) to approximately $177,394 (FY 2024), and that expenditures exceeded revenues in FY 2021, 2023 and 2024.
A small responder pool returned 24 survey responses. Miss Thomas told the committee: “10 of the 24 responded that they believe the most significant issue facing their profession is insurance and reimbursements.” Ten respondents flagged insurance/reimbursement as their top concern; others cited licensing fees and non‑licensed practitioners. The report also found 15 of 24 licensees do not believe board regulation is necessary to protect the public, and 14 said the board’s rules are an unnecessary restriction on practice.
Committee members pressed staff for additional detail at the next meeting, asking whether state regulation is required by insurance reimbursement rules and requesting that a board representative attend to answer questions about degree requirements, reciprocity and the national exam statistics that appear in the report. A member also asked staff to confirm why the board stopped routine facility inspections after the 05/12/2021 board meeting; Miss Thomas noted inspections were discontinued to reduce expenses and that accredited national agencies still conduct inspections on a three‑year cycle.
The committee did not take formal action on the board’s report; members requested additional details and indicated they would revisit the item at the next session.
