From: Jennifer Nulph
Columbus
Patients living with chronic respiratory and pulmonary conditions require at-home and portable medical oxygen to maintain our quality of life. Over 1.5 million individuals throughout the nation grapple with severe asthma, pneumonia, sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, and other conditions that require supplemental oxygen, but current Medicare policies are preventing them from getting the quality care they need.
Access to supplemental oxygen continues challenge patients because current Medicare policy fails to recognize the nuances of respiratory patients’ unique care needs, and many patients worry they won’t be able to access life-sustaining supplemental oxygen at all. There are considerable policy barriers and limitations impeding the delivery of oxygen to all eligible patients, particularly in rural areas.
Thankfully, lawmakers in Congress have introduced the bipartisan Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act (S. 3821/H.R. 7829) to mitigate current disparities in supplemental oxygen access. The SOAR Act would protect and enhance access to supplemental oxygen for Medicare beneficiaries by stabilizing oxygen benefits, expanding access to more modalities, and creating a standardized respiratory therapy template for proper reimbursement.
The supplemental oxygen community needs Congress to address the growing gap in patient access to supplemental oxygen, and the SOAR Act would establish a separate payment rate for liquid oxygen would do just that. I urge Indiana lawmakers to support the SOAR Act. Congress can ensure patients receive the critical oxygen support they need.
