[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 23, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H4427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             SHIELD MEDICARE PATIENTS FROM FRAUD AND ABUSE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight 
a truly wonderful business in State College, Pennsylvania: KCF 
Technologies. I had the honor of visiting KCF yesterday as it hit the 
milestone of hiring its 50th employee.
  KCF was founded in November 2000 by three Penn State researchers: 
Gary Koopmann, Weicheng Chen, and Jeremy Frank. It is a private company 
and is employee-owned.
  This rapidly growing technology innovation company focuses on putting 
inventions to work in the industrial world.
  Its staff develops and commercializes products and solutions for 
industry and the military. KCF specializes in wireless sensors, energy 
harvesting, underwater navigation, and smart material devices. Its goal 
is to bring the latest technologies to life to make things we work and 
live with smarter.
  KCF is not only expanding its workforce, but its revenues have grown 
at an average annual rate of more than 60 percent and over 500 percent 
since 2005.
  It set a lofty goal for this year to save its customers $100 million 
in 2017, and KCF is passionately working to achieve that goal. Outside 
of its State College headquarters there is a thermometer sign 
prominently displayed to track progress. Multiple department walls 
within the facility are also adorned with thermometer posters. As KCF 
saves customers money throughout the year, the thermometers reflect 
that progress by filling up.
  KCF Technologies not only cares about giving back to its customers, 
but it gives back to the Centre County community, too.
  To commemorate a record-breaking sales month in April, employees 
exchanged their workday to volunteer at CentrePeace.
  CentrePeace was established in 1994 with the purpose of providing a 
wholesome working environment for Centre County inmates. It operates 
the largest used furniture recycling project in the county, which 
prevents tons of items from ending up in the landfills. Inmates repair 
and restore electronics and furniture, participate in classes to 
improve their life skills, and learn how to handle conflict.
  KCF Technologies is also working to improve the lives of our wounded 
warriors thanks to research funded by the U.S. Army Telemedicine and 
Advanced Technology Research Center, and the National Science 
Foundation.
  It is fully researching and developing energy harvesting, self-
powered prosthetic devices and the innovative Kinetic Revolutions 
Adjustable Pylon for use with leg prostheses. These electromechanical 
devices make life better for amputees at every age and walk of life.
  Today, with my colleague, Congressman Mike Thompson of California, we 
will introduce a bill that will curb Medicare fraud when it comes to 
unlawful and unlicensed providers of orthotics and prosthetics. Our 
bill works to ensure that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare 
Services stops allowing these unlicensed operations to apply for and 
collect Federal payments.
  As a former certified therapist and licensed nursing home 
administrator, I know firsthand the importance of safe and reliable 
products for those who are in need.
  When unlicensed and unaccredited providers deliver prosthetic and 
orthotic services, both Medicare beneficiaries and the American 
taxpayer are shortchanged.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan Medicare Orthotics 
and Prosthetics Improvement Act of 2017.

                          ____________________