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Two sentences from PDAC can potentially change the course of manufacturing history for O & P: additive manufacturing is now explicitly acceptable for coding prosthetic devices that meet existing HCPCS descriptions. We unpack what that clarity means for clinicians, patients, vendors, and payers, and how to adopt 3D printing.

• Why PDAC’s language ends the gray area for 3D‑printed prosthetics
• What PDAC and DME MAC do and how they shape coding
• How to match additive devices to existing L code descriptions
• Documentation discipline to avoid denials and audits
• FDA’s proactive stance and signals to industry
• Medicare vs Medicare Advantage realities for reimbursement
• When new codes help vs when they stall at zero pay
• Scaling care amid workforce shortages using digital workflows
• Using additive to improve fit, speed, and repeatability
• Practical steps to start: scanning, CAD, materials, records

Special thanks to Advanced 3D for sponsoring this episode.

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We share a personal update and then dive into how injuries, curiosity, and tough feedback shaped a modular myoelectric hand that is lighter, repairable in minutes, and priced for wider access. Ryan Saavedra of Alt-Bionics walks through additive manufacturing choices, PDAC approval, and a roadmap linking prosthetics with humanoid robotics.

• user and clinician pain points shaping design choices
• modular finger architecture for fast field repairs
• nylon 12 and MJF for strength, weight, and cost
• tolerancing to reduce lash and improve reliability
• pricing philosophy, PDAC approval, and reimbursement nuance
• EMG control foundations, firmware over AI for stability
• balancing service bureaus vs in-house manufacturing
• funding from bootstrap to mission-aligned investors
• product roadmap focused on hands and higher DoF
• cross-pollination between prosthetics and robotics

Special thanks to Advanced 3D for sponsoring this episode.

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What if everything we think we know about human walking is oversimplified?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Steven Gard a biomedical engineer and leading gait researcher. We unpack the real biomechanics behind prosthetic design. From artificial heart labs to O&P innovation, Dr. Gard shares surprising insights on:

• Why shock absorption and “energy return” don’t always behave the way prosthetic marketing suggests
• How soft tissue acts as a natural spring, changing everything about how force is transmitted through a limb
• The ongoing debate between ischial containment, subischial, and elevated vacuum sockets — and why no design is one-size-fits-all
• Where microprocessor knees and 3D printing fit into the future of mobility
• The missing link between engineering theory and clinical practice

Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, or just prosthetics-curious — this episode reframes gait in a way you’ve never heard before.

Special thanks to Advanced 3D for sponsoring this episode.

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