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Connecticut Amputee Network (CAN)

So Kids Can Move: an initiative to provide insurance coverage for childrens’ athletic prosthetics

So Kids Can Move is a new policy and advocacy initiative working to expand access to prostheses and orthoses utilized for physical activity as medically necessary healthcare for children on a state-by-state basis. It is the result of a collaboration between the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA), the National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP), the Amputee Coalition, and the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP).

You can help So Kids Can Move become reality in New Mexico. The New Mexico legislature allows expert testimony from outside the state. If you are a member of the limb loss community, you are an expert!

If you are interested in bringing So Kids Can Move to your state, contact Sam Miller, AOPA State and Federal Advocacy Manager at SMiller@AOPAnet.org. Whether it’s coalition-building, legislative drafting, or contacting policymakers, we can help you begin the process of advocating for recreational prostheses for children. So Kids Can Move has the resources you need to make your voice heard.

For more information, read these FAQs.

Connecticut Amputee Network (CAN)

Urge Your Representatives to Co-Sponsor the Triple A Study Act

Yesterday my letter voicing support of the Triple A Study Act to the editor of the New Haven Register was published. Here’s a link to the published letter followed by the text of the letter:

https://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODN/NewHavenRegister/Default.aspx#

Subject: Having an Arm or Leg Should Not be a Luxury. Support The Triple A Study Act.

Dear Editor:

As an amputee for 12 years, I understand the challenges of relearning to walk and returning to work. For the first three years following my injury, I was unable to wear a prosthetic leg and relied on crutches to ambulate. After a lot of hard work, I have returned to an active and productive life: kayaking, swimming, and enjoying the Connecticut Shoreline. As co-founder of the Connecticut Amputee Network, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many people living with limb loss and limb difference and hear their stories about the difficulty of adapting to their new lives and the impact on their ability to reenter the workforce.

I’m urging US Senator Christopher Murphy and US Representative Rosa DeLauro to become cosponsors of the Triple A Study Act. This Act studies specific challenges, including how often people are denied coverage for devices, and outcomes like whether patients can return to work. It identifies the best care practices for people with living with limb loss and limb difference so they can be replicated. Medicare, the VA system, and private insurers will all benefit from this information.

Over 2 million Americans and approximately 18,000 Connecticut residents live with limb loss or limb difference. The Triple A Study Act is an important step in improving the health and well-being of our community and allowing people living with limb loss to live the life they want to live.

Sincerely,

Brenda Novak

Volunteer, Amputee Coalition
Co-Founder, Connecticut Amputee Network

Branford, Connecticut