Rhode Island General Laws Title 27. Insurance § 27-29.2-2. Definitions

(1) “ Orthosis” means a custom fabricated brace or support that is designed based on medical necessity. “ Orthosis” does not include prefabricated or direct-formed orthotic devices, or any of the following assistive technology devices: Commercially available knee orthoses used following injury or surgery; spastic muscle-tone inhibiting orthoses; upper extremity adaptive equipment; finger splints; hand splints; wrists gauntlets; face masks used following burns; wheelchair seating that is an integral part of the wheelchair and not worn by the patient independent of the wheelchair; fabric or elastic supports; corsets; low-temperature formed plastic splints; trusses; elastic hose; canes; crutches; cervical collars; dental appliances; and other similar devises as determined by the director of the department of business regulation such as those commonly carried in stock by a pharmacy, department store, corset shop, or surgical supply facility.

(2) “ Orthotics” means the science and practice of evaluating, measuring, designing, fabricating, assembling, fitting, adjusting, or servicing, as well as providing the initial training necessary to accomplish the fitting of an orthosis for the support, correction, or alleviation of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal dysfunction, disease, injury, or deformity. The practice of orthotics encompasses evaluation, treatment, and consultation with basic observational gait and postural analysis. Orthotists assess and design orthoses to maximize function and provide not only the support but the alignment necessary to either prevent or correct deformity or to improve the safety and efficiency of mobility or locomotion, or both. Orthotic practice includes providing continuing patient care in order to assess its effect on the patient's tissues and to ensure proper fit and function of the orthotic device by periodic evaluation.

(3) “ Prosthesis” means an artificial limb that is alignable or, in lower extremity applications, capable of weight bearing. Prosthesis means an artificial medical device that is not surgically implanted and that is used to replace a missing limb, appendage, or other external human body part including an artificial limb, hand, or foot. The term does not include artificial eyes, ears, noses, dental appliances, osotmy products, or devices such as eyelashes or wigs.

(4) “ Prosthetics” means the science and practice of evaluating, measuring, designing, fabricating, assembling, fitting, aligning, adjusting, or servicing, as well as providing the initial training necessary to accomplish the fitting of a prosthesis through the replacement of external parts of a human body lost due to amputation or congenital deformities or absences. The practice of prosthetics also includes the generation of an image, form, or mold that replicates the patient's body or body segment and that requires rectification of dimensions, contours, and volumes for use in the design and fabrication of a socket to accept a residual anatomic limb to, in turn, create an artificial appendage that is designed either to support body weight or to improve or restore function or cosmesis, or both. Involved in the practice of prosthetics is observational gait analysis and clinical assessment of the requirements necessary to refine and mechanically fix the relative position of various parts of the prosthesis to maximize function, stability, and safety of the patient. The practice of prosthetics includes providing and continuing patient care in order to assess the prosthetic device's effect on the patient's tissues and to ensure proper fit and function of the prosthetic device by periodic evaluation.