The Amputee Coalition applauds a major development in support of the limb loss and limb difference community, as the federal government initiates a study of the barriers to prosthetic device assessment and access for 2.1 million Americans with limb loss. After nearly two years of grassroots and Congressional support for the Triple A Study Act (a bipartisan bill that calls for the study), the authors of the legislation sought to move the study forward either through legislation or through direct engagement with the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In recent weeks, the Congressional champions wrote to the GAO requesting that the office begin the study as soon as possible. The GAO responded within weeks, writing to Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Representative G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), and Representative Brett Guthrie (R-KY) that the office will initiate the study this year.
The Amputee Coalition has proudly worked to develop, support, and advocate for the Triple A Study Act to ensure equitable health care for people living with limb loss or limb difference, and to uphold a common standard for best practices in our nation’s health systems. With the active leadership and engagement of advocates from across the country, the Triple A Study Act garnered bicameral, bipartisan support prompting the legislation’s original sponsors to send a letter to GAO to request that the study commence immediately – shortcutting the longer legislative process of consideration, passage, and enactment.
“The study getting underway this year is the first step in gaining an understanding of a basic need for our community – why isn’t everyone assessed for an assistive device after limb loss and how can we ensure necessary, equitable access across all payers. The legislative effort truly reflected a shared commitment to a common goal, and we are delighted that the GAO is moving swiftly to implement the bill without requiring enactment. With aligned efforts between our grassroots advocates and our Congressional champions, we have created a national commitment to meeting the needs of the limb loss and limb difference community,” said Mary Richards, president and CEO of the Amputee Coalition. “This win moves us towards building a deeper understanding of the mobility and care challenges facing the 2.1 million Americans with limb loss and limb difference and will serve as a catalyst to creating a national commitment to improving the quality and length of life for all Americans who experience amputation.”
With 28 million Americans currently at risk of limb loss, it is critical to understand the barriers to care and identify solutions to positively impact members of our community. Learnings from the GAO study will help identify ways to improve the quality of life for everyone with limb loss or limb difference. The Amputee Coalition is committed to disseminating these new discoveries through all of its programs, including the National Limb Loss Resource Center and in partnership with the Administration of Community Living.
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Amputee Coalition: The Leading Voice on Limb Loss and Limb Difference
The Amputee Coalition is the only national nonprofit that serves all individuals who experience limb loss or limb difference. We are dedicated to ensuring that no one faces limb loss alone. Our mission is to reach out and empower people affected by limb loss to achieve their full potential through support, education, advocacy, and prevention. We work to provide vital resources to people with limb loss and limb difference, as well as their families and caregivers. With these resources, they can recover, readjust, and live the life they most want to live. Learn more at www.amputee-coalition.org.