This information is intended to offer information enabling you to make a strong case for your patients X-Finger. Please refer to our “model letter template” when composing your own letter to help create an effective letter of justification. If any further information is needed, please do not hesitate to ask.
Insurance reimbursement for the X-Finger has been approved in hundreds of cases by nearly every major insurance carrier in the US. Because we are the first company to develop a functional artificial finger for finger amputees many insurance carriers may not have heard of this advancement in patient care. In turn, insurance companies will need to be informed of the exponential benefit of our products over passive-function cosmetic fingers. Insurance companies are not concerned with aesthetics compared to the functional benefits of various medical treatments. Therefore many companies who produce cosmetic artificial fingers have exaggerated the functional benefits their products actually offer. Therefore it will be important to provide detailed information enabling someone unfamiliar with prosthetic fingers to understand the difference.
Proper strategy is certainly important in composing your pre-authorization request. To avoid delays you should anticipate possible questions that can be answered in your request and be sure to follow up quickly with any questions that are asked.
How to obtain a preauthorization:
1. Evaluate the Patient. (If you are the customer I would highly suggest contacting us first)
If you meet with someone that is missing a finger or fingers, in part or in their entirety the first step is to determine if the person is able to flex and extend the residual finger. If a finger is missing in its entirety, you should ensure that an adjacent finger, either on the right or left side of the missing finger is able to flex and extend. When someone is missing a finger in its entirety, the X-Finger is linked to an opposing finger and the movement of the opposing finger controls the movement of the device. If the patient has two phalanges remaining and has lost the distal phalange and a portion of the middle phalange it is important to ensure that the patient is able to independently flex and extend each of the remaining phalanges. As our devices are body-powered it is important to ensure that the X-Fingers will be able to be articulated by the patients remaining residual finger fingers or palm. If all of the fingers are missing in their entirety, the flexion and extension movements of the digits are controlled by the movement of the palm.
Once it has been determined that the patient is able to move their residual fingers, or wrist depending on the patients specific situation, you should then email us a digital photograph of the patients hand allowing us to offer a treatment plan and a wholesale estimate based on our experience in rehabilitating finger amputee patients. To make this process easier for us, please have the patient lay their hands flat on a table and place a ruler near the hand enabling us to estimate the size of the patients’ hand. Then take a photograph looking down on the hand and email it to us at contact@didrickmedical.com.
We will then return an estimate to produce a functional prosthesis to satisfy their specific needs.
2. Obtain a Prescription:
A prescription is needed from a physician for one or more X-Fingers. The physician should also write a letter of justification describing the medical necessity of having fully functional fingers.
3. Letter of Justification:
A letter of justification must be created describing the medical necessity of the described treatment plan. The prescribing physician should create the letter and the prosthetist can include additional information to help validate their opinion. Directing the readers’ attention towards the benefits the X-Fingers will offer with regards to work and personal needs are important.
4. Creating the Estimate:
A quote for the delivery, fitting, training and follow up should be provided by the prosthetist. This should also include the warranty information provided by us and included below.
After submitting the pre-authorization letter you should follow up by contacting the insurance company’s claims office; if you have not heard from them within two weeks of submitting the pre-authorization request. You should ask when a decision is expected, but many states are required to respond to a pre-authorization request within 30 days. When contacting the claims office you should keep record of who you spoke with and the date. Any important information offered, such as a promise for authorization or denial should be validated by requesting it in writing. If any additional information is requested submit the additional information in a timely manner as to avoid any further delays.
Do not give up if you do not receive a positive response after your first try. Request a response detailing the reason for the denial. This will give you the necessary information needed for your second attempt in obtaining a pre-authorization.
If your patient is declined a pre-authorization claiming the X-Finger is “experimental” their objection can be refuted by citing experience with hundreds of successful fittings since 2001. The X-Finger has been praised by the medical community, design community and even the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In fact, the X-Finger has been showcased in numerous museums including the California Science Center in Los Angeles, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, the Museum of Science in Boston, the Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal in New York City The X-Finger has been seen on several television programs including the History Channels show Modern Marvels, Squawk Box with Joe Kernan. The X-System was awarded as one of the top ten designs by the Crown Prince of Denmark and displayed in the Isimbardi Palace in the Province of Milan. Sir Richard Branson chose Didrick Medical Inc as the top company in 2009 in a competition sponsored by Perfect Business and Chase Bank and Living Social chose Didrick Medical for one of twelve $250,000.00 grants in 2012 out of seventy thousand competing companies. We were given the grant based on our growth potential and a proven prior track record of success. The Red Cross has included our product to rehabilitate all finger amputees in Guinea Bissau West Africa for a campaign called “This Time For Africa” and our first customer was the Department of Defense. We have been rehabilitating wounded soldiers in the US and have recently begun rehabilitating wounded British soldiers as well. The X-Finger is in the book “Care for the Combat Soldier” and our devices have been successfully battle tested in action. The X-Finger has recently been accepted by the government of Puerto Rico to rehabilitate all finger amputees in their country. We have licensed this technology in several areas around the world, including Europe, South America, the Middle East and Japan, therefore the device is certainly beyond the “experimental” stage. Furthermore, if for any reason the device does not perform to the patients expectations the device can be returned at no cost; providing the device is returned within two weeks. The X-Finger is the world’s only functional artificial finger for amputees which enable users to control the flexion and extension movements of each replaced phalange. The devices move as quickly as the users’ prior fingers restoring considerable strength and dexterity.
If denied a pre-authorization then send an appeal to the claims manager with a copy of the original claim. Ask the patients physician to help overturn the insurance companies reason by using valid and easy to understand points. You can also ask the insurance company for guidelines they follow which also may help to prove the patients right to be rehabilitated using our products. Be patient. Many claims have been offered a pre-authorization after two or more attempts.
If you feel that your patient is wrongfully being denied an appropriate treatment you can lodge a complaint. If you feel your patient has not been given fair consideration you can lodge a complaint with the state insurance commission; sometimes called the Department of Insurance. You can call their consumer information office to ask for advice about filing a complaint. In some cases you may be able to request an insurance hearing from the state commission to help settle an appeal. In some cases we have seen patients hire an attorney who then hired a medical legal consulting firm which has enabled the patient to not only receive our product, but also obtain a new device every 3 years for life; which can exceed more than $500,000.00. Sometimes fear of losing such a battle helps insurance companies to quickly settle a claim and offer a pre-authorization for the single device that is being requested.
Justification of the X-Finger including the Summary of Benefits:
The physician or prosthetist who is writing the letter of justification should be aware of the following benefits and include them in their submission letter.
Benefits of the X-Finger over any other artificial finger on the market:
Finger Prehension:
The X-Finger is the only artificial finger that allows the user to control the flexion and extension movements of each replaced phalange of each digit replaced. The device allows users to grasp and hold objects unlike any other prosthetic finger. Because the devices are body-powered they are as strong as the users’ prior finger and move as quickly as the users’ prior finger. Using an X-Finger enables users to perform more tasks than any other prosthetic finger in the world. Because the devices operate by the users residual limb, no though process is needed beyond the prior users thoughts to control the device. When the user begins to flex their residual limb, the artificial phalanges in turn begin to flex. Also, when the user extends their residual finger the artificial phalanges also extend. If someone is missing four fingers, for example, and applies four X-Fingers, someone can toss a ball to then and without thinking the user can immediately catch the ball without even having to think about it. The device enables users to perform thousands of tasks without even practicing making it the most functional form of prosthetic rehabilitation available for finger amputees. Users can once again, type, play musical instruments, grasp and lift objects, catch and throw objects and almost anything imaginable. Until the X-Finger, finger amputees lost the ability the perform an immeasurable number of tasks, and now with the X-Finger they can once again regain the ability to perform almost any task, including working at whatever profession they previously had.
It is important for paying agencies to be familiar with the terms passive-function and active-function. Passive-function prosthetics do not move or bend in any way. For example a passive-function artificial finger is typically made from silicone and does not bend or move in any way. They simply attach to the users hand, either through suction or attached to a glove. These common finger prosthesis offer little functional benefit and are more beneficial in simply masking the condition from others. Active-function prosthetic devices actually move or bend, such as an artificial leg; where the knee joint bends, thereby mimicking the function of the leg. The X-Finger is the world’s first active-function prosthetic finger.
Unfortunately many companies that provide cosmetic artificial fingers fabricated from silicone have exaggerated the functional benefit their passive-function fingers provide. In some cases they have gone so far as to invent their own description by claiming their non-bending cosmetic fingers are active-passive-function; which is ridiculous. But, companies that produce silicone fingers know that insurance companies do not care about aesthetics and have attempted to fool insurance companies into believing their products offer more function than they actually do. In turn, having developed the first functional prosthesis can be difficult to explain to insurance companies as they have been reading about the false functional benefits of other companies non-functional artificial fingers for years. Therefore it is important to carefully detail the fact that the X-Finger is unlike any other artificial finger that has ever been released and offers an exponential amount of function over prior artificial fingers. Common silicone artificial fingers do not even bend, while X-Fingers move from a pointing position into a tight fist and back as quickly as the users’ prior fingers; thereby restoring a truly remarkable amount of dexterity and strength.
Durable:
All of the functioning components of the X-Finger are fabricated from hand polished stainless steel. The stainless steel components are extremely strong and offer years of maintenance free use. Silicone artificial fingers are cosmetic in nature and blend into the users’ skin by utilizing a paper thin edge. These thin edges form tiny abrasions that migrate into tears making them break down and useless after a few years. The X-Finger is a durable tool that allows the user to benefit from their use for many years. We do not know the life span of our devices as they have only been on the market for ten years, but we know that they can last for ten years and may last a life-time if properly cared for.
Broadest Range of Occupations:
By rehabilitating your patient with an X-Finger you are significantly increasing your patient’s ability to perform successfully at more jobs. Our fingers are our most dexterous tools and enabling finger amputees to restore the movement of their fingers exponentially increases their ability to continue forward in life and maximize their skill sets. Silicone fingers significantly hinder ones ability to maximize ones potential. Although this is a Canadian statistic, it can be considered a global fact- The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System estimates that individuals with limited use of their hands earn approximately half of those with full use of their hands. By rehabilitating a patient using the X-Finger maximizes potential and enables fingers amputees to progress with fewer limitations. Furthermore, the loss of a majority of ones fingers can create a situation where in home care is necessary if not rehabilitated using X-Fingers; which can cost insurance companies significantly more money than the cost of the X-Fingers.
Strengthens patient and helps rehabilitate:
Because the X-Finger is body-powered it forces the user to continue to use their residual fingers in a natural manner. By using the residual finger to accomplish tasks builds strength and helps to rehabilitate the user. The X-Hand can be adjusted to allow a minimal amount of movement to completely flex and extend the artificial fingers. Over time as the user builds dexterity and is able to flex and extend their limb over a broader range, the device can be adjusted to accommodate the increase in dexterity. This allows the user to utilize the device throughout their rehabilitation and make adjustments as needed.
No batteries needed: Many high end prosthetics today require the use of batteries. Furthermore, many body-powered devices require cables that can break over time. The X-Finger requires no batteries yet also has no cables or components that can break. The movement of each digit is controlled by a series of reciprocally interconnected stainless steel parts that are extremely strong and offers years of maintenance free operation.
Speed and dexterity: The X-Fingers articulate as fast as real fingers restoring significant dexterity. X-Fingers move more quickly than any other artificial hand or finger ever released. Never before has someone who lost their fingers had any prosthetic option that comes close to the level of restoration that the X-Fingers provide. Enabling finger amputees to move their fingers as quickly as their prior fingers allows users to perform tasks efficiently without being limited as when using any other form of prosthetic rehabilitation.
SAMPLE LETTER
Third-Party Funding letter for X-Finger
Medicare
123 Maine Street
Naples, Florida 34108
Re: Mr. John Shultz
Soc. Sec. # 123-45-6789
Case #: A005
Dear Mrs. D. Maker,
We recently evaluated Mr. John Shultz and would like to provide you with our recommendation for his prosthetic rehabilitation.
Mr. Shultz was seen in our office on December 15, 2011. He suffered the loss of three of his fingers on his left hand; due to a lawnmower accident that occurred at his home in September of 2011.
He is extremely hopeful that he will be able return to work shortly and achieve the maximum function possible by way of prosthetic fingers. In addition to work he would like to be able to continue taking care of his two young children; which require the use of his hands.
Mr. Shultz lost his 2nd, 3rd and 4th digits on his left hand. All three fingers were severed on the proximal phalanges and have now healed.
We recommend rehabilitating Mr. Shultz with X-Fingers. Mr. Shultz will be able to independently flex and extend each of the artificial phalanges of each digit offering the most functional form of rehabilitation available for his condition. He will be able to maintain his present line of work as well as take care of his children and maintain a high level of function.
We also recommend a generic thermoplastic glove offering tactile grip as well as protecting the devices from collecting debris.
The justification in offering Mr. Shultz the X-Fingers is due to the level of function that will be restored when compared to cosmetic fingers that offer no function. Mr. Shultz has an active lifestyle and relies on his hands to support himself and his family. The X-Fingers will enable Mr. Shultz to continue working in the field he is skilled in and the X-Finger is the only device that will enable Mr. Shultz to do so.
Cost of care:
The price for the complete fitting and manufacturing cost for the package proposed will be $_____________, which 50% of the total being paid in advance enabling us to purchase the components necessary for rehabilitation. The remaining balance will be payable upon delivery of the prosthesis.
Didrick Medical Inc, the manufacturer of the X-Finger, is unable to mass-produce X-Fingers as there are too many configurations of devices and sizes required to do so. Didrick medical produces more than 500 configurations of devices and is only able to produce them in small quantities enabling them to rehabilitate a select group of individuals who can effectively benefit from them. Didrick Medical has given several speeches to the Center of Medicare and Medicaid in an attempt to seek a personal L-Code for their new technology, but has been denied simply due to the fact that enough devices have not been produced to justify the burden of creating a new code. In turn, the hundreds of cases that have been approved use a miscellaneous L-999 code to obtain the parts. Mr. John Shultz is a wonderful candidate for this form of rehabilitation and his life will be significantly enhanced by enabling him to return to work and maintain his active lifestyle to which he is accustomed.
Follow up:
We hope to receive your written authorization within two weeks enabling us to begin the first stage of Mr. Shultz’s rehabilitation as soon as possible for his benefit. If there are any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Regards,
Your name: Credentials
Insurance reimbursement for the X-Finger has been approved in hundreds of cases by nearly every major insurance carrier in the US. Because we are the first company to develop a functional artificial finger for finger amputees many insurance carriers may not have heard of this advancement in patient care. In turn, insurance companies will need to be informed of the exponential benefit of our products over passive-function cosmetic fingers. Insurance companies are not concerned with aesthetics compared to the functional benefits of various medical treatments. Therefore many companies who produce cosmetic artificial fingers have exaggerated the functional benefits their products actually offer. Therefore it will be important to provide detailed information enabling someone unfamiliar with prosthetic fingers to understand the difference.
Proper strategy is certainly important in composing your pre-authorization request. To avoid delays you should anticipate possible questions that can be answered in your request and be sure to follow up quickly with any questions that are asked.
How to obtain a preauthorization:
1. Evaluate the Patient. (If you are the customer I would highly suggest contacting us first)
If you meet with someone that is missing a finger or fingers, in part or in their entirety the first step is to determine if the person is able to flex and extend the residual finger. If a finger is missing in its entirety, you should ensure that an adjacent finger, either on the right or left side of the missing finger is able to flex and extend. When someone is missing a finger in its entirety, the X-Finger is linked to an opposing finger and the movement of the opposing finger controls the movement of the device. If the patient has two phalanges remaining and has lost the distal phalange and a portion of the middle phalange it is important to ensure that the patient is able to independently flex and extend each of the remaining phalanges. As our devices are body-powered it is important to ensure that the X-Fingers will be able to be articulated by the patients remaining residual finger fingers or palm. If all of the fingers are missing in their entirety, the flexion and extension movements of the digits are controlled by the movement of the palm.
Once it has been determined that the patient is able to move their residual fingers, or wrist depending on the patients specific situation, you should then email us a digital photograph of the patients hand allowing us to offer a treatment plan and a wholesale estimate based on our experience in rehabilitating finger amputee patients. To make this process easier for us, please have the patient lay their hands flat on a table and place a ruler near the hand enabling us to estimate the size of the patients’ hand. Then take a photograph looking down on the hand and email it to us at contact@didrickmedical.com.
We will then return an estimate to produce a functional prosthesis to satisfy their specific needs.
2. Obtain a Prescription:
A prescription is needed from a physician for one or more X-Fingers. The physician should also write a letter of justification describing the medical necessity of having fully functional fingers.
3. Letter of Justification:
A letter of justification must be created describing the medical necessity of the described treatment plan. The prescribing physician should create the letter and the prosthetist can include additional information to help validate their opinion. Directing the readers’ attention towards the benefits the X-Fingers will offer with regards to work and personal needs are important.
4. Creating the Estimate:
A quote for the delivery, fitting, training and follow up should be provided by the prosthetist. This should also include the warranty information provided by us and included below.
After submitting the pre-authorization letter you should follow up by contacting the insurance company’s claims office; if you have not heard from them within two weeks of submitting the pre-authorization request. You should ask when a decision is expected, but many states are required to respond to a pre-authorization request within 30 days. When contacting the claims office you should keep record of who you spoke with and the date. Any important information offered, such as a promise for authorization or denial should be validated by requesting it in writing. If any additional information is requested submit the additional information in a timely manner as to avoid any further delays.
Do not give up if you do not receive a positive response after your first try. Request a response detailing the reason for the denial. This will give you the necessary information needed for your second attempt in obtaining a pre-authorization.
If your patient is declined a pre-authorization claiming the X-Finger is “experimental” their objection can be refuted by citing experience with hundreds of successful fittings since 2001. The X-Finger has been praised by the medical community, design community and even the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In fact, the X-Finger has been showcased in numerous museums including the California Science Center in Los Angeles, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, the Museum of Science in Boston, the Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal in New York City The X-Finger has been seen on several television programs including the History Channels show Modern Marvels, Squawk Box with Joe Kernan. The X-System was awarded as one of the top ten designs by the Crown Prince of Denmark and displayed in the Isimbardi Palace in the Province of Milan. Sir Richard Branson chose Didrick Medical Inc as the top company in 2009 in a competition sponsored by Perfect Business and Chase Bank and Living Social chose Didrick Medical for one of twelve $250,000.00 grants in 2012 out of seventy thousand competing companies. We were given the grant based on our growth potential and a proven prior track record of success. The Red Cross has included our product to rehabilitate all finger amputees in Guinea Bissau West Africa for a campaign called “This Time For Africa” and our first customer was the Department of Defense. We have been rehabilitating wounded soldiers in the US and have recently begun rehabilitating wounded British soldiers as well. The X-Finger is in the book “Care for the Combat Soldier” and our devices have been successfully battle tested in action. The X-Finger has recently been accepted by the government of Puerto Rico to rehabilitate all finger amputees in their country. We have licensed this technology in several areas around the world, including Europe, South America, the Middle East and Japan, therefore the device is certainly beyond the “experimental” stage. Furthermore, if for any reason the device does not perform to the patients expectations the device can be returned at no cost; providing the device is returned within two weeks. The X-Finger is the world’s only functional artificial finger for amputees which enable users to control the flexion and extension movements of each replaced phalange. The devices move as quickly as the users’ prior fingers restoring considerable strength and dexterity.
If denied a pre-authorization then send an appeal to the claims manager with a copy of the original claim. Ask the patients physician to help overturn the insurance companies reason by using valid and easy to understand points. You can also ask the insurance company for guidelines they follow which also may help to prove the patients right to be rehabilitated using our products. Be patient. Many claims have been offered a pre-authorization after two or more attempts.
If you feel that your patient is wrongfully being denied an appropriate treatment you can lodge a complaint. If you feel your patient has not been given fair consideration you can lodge a complaint with the state insurance commission; sometimes called the Department of Insurance. You can call their consumer information office to ask for advice about filing a complaint. In some cases you may be able to request an insurance hearing from the state commission to help settle an appeal. In some cases we have seen patients hire an attorney who then hired a medical legal consulting firm which has enabled the patient to not only receive our product, but also obtain a new device every 3 years for life; which can exceed more than $500,000.00. Sometimes fear of losing such a battle helps insurance companies to quickly settle a claim and offer a pre-authorization for the single device that is being requested.
Justification of the X-Finger including the Summary of Benefits:
The physician or prosthetist who is writing the letter of justification should be aware of the following benefits and include them in their submission letter.
Benefits of the X-Finger over any other artificial finger on the market:
Finger Prehension:
The X-Finger is the only artificial finger that allows the user to control the flexion and extension movements of each replaced phalange of each digit replaced. The device allows users to grasp and hold objects unlike any other prosthetic finger. Because the devices are body-powered they are as strong as the users’ prior finger and move as quickly as the users’ prior finger. Using an X-Finger enables users to perform more tasks than any other prosthetic finger in the world. Because the devices operate by the users residual limb, no though process is needed beyond the prior users thoughts to control the device. When the user begins to flex their residual limb, the artificial phalanges in turn begin to flex. Also, when the user extends their residual finger the artificial phalanges also extend. If someone is missing four fingers, for example, and applies four X-Fingers, someone can toss a ball to then and without thinking the user can immediately catch the ball without even having to think about it. The device enables users to perform thousands of tasks without even practicing making it the most functional form of prosthetic rehabilitation available for finger amputees. Users can once again, type, play musical instruments, grasp and lift objects, catch and throw objects and almost anything imaginable. Until the X-Finger, finger amputees lost the ability the perform an immeasurable number of tasks, and now with the X-Finger they can once again regain the ability to perform almost any task, including working at whatever profession they previously had.
It is important for paying agencies to be familiar with the terms passive-function and active-function. Passive-function prosthetics do not move or bend in any way. For example a passive-function artificial finger is typically made from silicone and does not bend or move in any way. They simply attach to the users hand, either through suction or attached to a glove. These common finger prosthesis offer little functional benefit and are more beneficial in simply masking the condition from others. Active-function prosthetic devices actually move or bend, such as an artificial leg; where the knee joint bends, thereby mimicking the function of the leg. The X-Finger is the world’s first active-function prosthetic finger.
Unfortunately many companies that provide cosmetic artificial fingers fabricated from silicone have exaggerated the functional benefit their passive-function fingers provide. In some cases they have gone so far as to invent their own description by claiming their non-bending cosmetic fingers are active-passive-function; which is ridiculous. But, companies that produce silicone fingers know that insurance companies do not care about aesthetics and have attempted to fool insurance companies into believing their products offer more function than they actually do. In turn, having developed the first functional prosthesis can be difficult to explain to insurance companies as they have been reading about the false functional benefits of other companies non-functional artificial fingers for years. Therefore it is important to carefully detail the fact that the X-Finger is unlike any other artificial finger that has ever been released and offers an exponential amount of function over prior artificial fingers. Common silicone artificial fingers do not even bend, while X-Fingers move from a pointing position into a tight fist and back as quickly as the users’ prior fingers; thereby restoring a truly remarkable amount of dexterity and strength.
Durable:
All of the functioning components of the X-Finger are fabricated from hand polished stainless steel. The stainless steel components are extremely strong and offer years of maintenance free use. Silicone artificial fingers are cosmetic in nature and blend into the users’ skin by utilizing a paper thin edge. These thin edges form tiny abrasions that migrate into tears making them break down and useless after a few years. The X-Finger is a durable tool that allows the user to benefit from their use for many years. We do not know the life span of our devices as they have only been on the market for ten years, but we know that they can last for ten years and may last a life-time if properly cared for.
Broadest Range of Occupations:
By rehabilitating your patient with an X-Finger you are significantly increasing your patient’s ability to perform successfully at more jobs. Our fingers are our most dexterous tools and enabling finger amputees to restore the movement of their fingers exponentially increases their ability to continue forward in life and maximize their skill sets. Silicone fingers significantly hinder ones ability to maximize ones potential. Although this is a Canadian statistic, it can be considered a global fact- The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System estimates that individuals with limited use of their hands earn approximately half of those with full use of their hands. By rehabilitating a patient using the X-Finger maximizes potential and enables fingers amputees to progress with fewer limitations. Furthermore, the loss of a majority of ones fingers can create a situation where in home care is necessary if not rehabilitated using X-Fingers; which can cost insurance companies significantly more money than the cost of the X-Fingers.
Strengthens patient and helps rehabilitate:
Because the X-Finger is body-powered it forces the user to continue to use their residual fingers in a natural manner. By using the residual finger to accomplish tasks builds strength and helps to rehabilitate the user. The X-Hand can be adjusted to allow a minimal amount of movement to completely flex and extend the artificial fingers. Over time as the user builds dexterity and is able to flex and extend their limb over a broader range, the device can be adjusted to accommodate the increase in dexterity. This allows the user to utilize the device throughout their rehabilitation and make adjustments as needed.
No batteries needed: Many high end prosthetics today require the use of batteries. Furthermore, many body-powered devices require cables that can break over time. The X-Finger requires no batteries yet also has no cables or components that can break. The movement of each digit is controlled by a series of reciprocally interconnected stainless steel parts that are extremely strong and offers years of maintenance free operation.
Speed and dexterity: The X-Fingers articulate as fast as real fingers restoring significant dexterity. X-Fingers move more quickly than any other artificial hand or finger ever released. Never before has someone who lost their fingers had any prosthetic option that comes close to the level of restoration that the X-Fingers provide. Enabling finger amputees to move their fingers as quickly as their prior fingers allows users to perform tasks efficiently without being limited as when using any other form of prosthetic rehabilitation.
SAMPLE LETTER
Third-Party Funding letter for X-Finger
Medicare
123 Maine Street
Naples, Florida 34108
Re: Mr. John Shultz
Soc. Sec. # 123-45-6789
Case #: A005
Dear Mrs. D. Maker,
We recently evaluated Mr. John Shultz and would like to provide you with our recommendation for his prosthetic rehabilitation.
Mr. Shultz was seen in our office on December 15, 2011. He suffered the loss of three of his fingers on his left hand; due to a lawnmower accident that occurred at his home in September of 2011.
He is extremely hopeful that he will be able return to work shortly and achieve the maximum function possible by way of prosthetic fingers. In addition to work he would like to be able to continue taking care of his two young children; which require the use of his hands.
Mr. Shultz lost his 2nd, 3rd and 4th digits on his left hand. All three fingers were severed on the proximal phalanges and have now healed.
We recommend rehabilitating Mr. Shultz with X-Fingers. Mr. Shultz will be able to independently flex and extend each of the artificial phalanges of each digit offering the most functional form of rehabilitation available for his condition. He will be able to maintain his present line of work as well as take care of his children and maintain a high level of function.
We also recommend a generic thermoplastic glove offering tactile grip as well as protecting the devices from collecting debris.
The justification in offering Mr. Shultz the X-Fingers is due to the level of function that will be restored when compared to cosmetic fingers that offer no function. Mr. Shultz has an active lifestyle and relies on his hands to support himself and his family. The X-Fingers will enable Mr. Shultz to continue working in the field he is skilled in and the X-Finger is the only device that will enable Mr. Shultz to do so.
Cost of care:
The price for the complete fitting and manufacturing cost for the package proposed will be $_____________, which 50% of the total being paid in advance enabling us to purchase the components necessary for rehabilitation. The remaining balance will be payable upon delivery of the prosthesis.
Didrick Medical Inc, the manufacturer of the X-Finger, is unable to mass-produce X-Fingers as there are too many configurations of devices and sizes required to do so. Didrick medical produces more than 500 configurations of devices and is only able to produce them in small quantities enabling them to rehabilitate a select group of individuals who can effectively benefit from them. Didrick Medical has given several speeches to the Center of Medicare and Medicaid in an attempt to seek a personal L-Code for their new technology, but has been denied simply due to the fact that enough devices have not been produced to justify the burden of creating a new code. In turn, the hundreds of cases that have been approved use a miscellaneous L-999 code to obtain the parts. Mr. John Shultz is a wonderful candidate for this form of rehabilitation and his life will be significantly enhanced by enabling him to return to work and maintain his active lifestyle to which he is accustomed.
Follow up:
We hope to receive your written authorization within two weeks enabling us to begin the first stage of Mr. Shultz’s rehabilitation as soon as possible for his benefit. If there are any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Regards,
Your name: Credentials