Hanger, Inc. announced results of its Outcomes ASsessment and DISsemination II (OASIS II) study, which evaluates the effectiveness of 10 common prosthetic feet models across L5981 (all lower extremity prostheses, flex-walk system or equal) and L5987 (all lower extremity prosthesis, shank foot system with vertical loading pylon) procedure codes, as assigned by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)’s Pricing, Data, Analysis and Coding (PDAC) contractor for orthotic and prosthetic devices. The second study in the OASIS series by the Hanger Institute for Clinical Research and Education reports L5987-coded feet are associated with improved mobility compared to the L5981 category; this finding confirms results reported previously in a purely dysvascular/diabetic population of 738 individuals with amputation in the Institute’s Mobility Analysis of Amputees (MAAT) 5 study. The latest study also questions whether prosthetic feet and componentry should be categorized based on functional outcomes instead of mechanical features.
The OASIS II study was designed to investigate real-world evidence on several highly utilized prosthetic feet that were re-coded from L5987 to L5981 due to a lack of visual distinct vertical loading mechanism. The analysis compared functional outcomes of 526 users across a variety of etiologies who utilized prosthetic feet that retained an L5987 coding, prosthetic feet that were newly assigned an L5981 coding, and those that sustained an L5981 coding. Results showed no significant difference in functional mobility for individuals with prosthetic feet that had their coding modified to L5981, compared to those that retained the L5987 designation.
To read more about the study, visit hangerclinic.com/blog/published-research/oasis2/.
