VOTA is Virginia's leading organization for occupational therapy practitioners and students. VOTA is committed to advocating for and further developing the profession of occupational therapy in our state.

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Meet our Lobbyist!

Alexander Macauley, VOTA's legal counsel and lobbyist, provides free legal advice to VOTA members. He frequently assists VOTA members with a wide variety of legal matters including employment contracts, regulatory compliance, and licensure requirements. 

Alexander Macaulay

Member Benefit: Did you know that each year, members are eligible for one hour of free legal counsel with Alexander? Reach out to him- he loves to hear from members! 

Everyday Advocacy Guide

AOTA  created this guide to help occupational therapy practitioners bring advocacy into everyday practice. It offers practical approaches for preparing important conversations, addressing payer denials, educating colleagues, and sharing the distinct value of OT with the public. It is designed to support practitioners who want to feel confident, stay prepared, and take consistent steps that strengthen both their clients and the profession.


National legislative news

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Proposed Medicare Part B Updates for 2026

Medicare’s 2026 proposed rule includes several updates that directly affect OTs. Telehealth codes, previously temporary, would become permanent so occupational therapists can continue to provide virtual care. New billing codes would reimburse for shorter check-ins tied to remote therapeutic monitoring, expanding options for client engagement. A one-year congressional adjustment is expected to raise reimbursement rates by about 1.5 percent. In addition, proposed changes to “incident-to” rules would allow physicians to supervise OTs through live video rather than only in person. If finalized, these updates would give OTs more flexibility in service delivery and greater stability in reimbursement.


Advocacy Success: AOTA Reverses Medicaid NCCI Billing Edit
AOTA worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that oversees Medicare and Medicaid, to successfully remove a Medicaid National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edit that created barriers when CPT code 97530 (therapeutic activities) and CPT code 97533 (sensory integration) were billed together. This advocacy win reduces administrative burden, improves alignment between Medicare and Medicaid payment policies, and helps ensure OTs are reimbursed more efficiently for the services they provide. The change took effect with the April 2023 NCCI update and shows the impact of member engagement in shaping payment policy.


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