Oxygen reform bill introduced
By HME News Staff
Updated Tue July 14, 2009
WASHINGTON - Efforts to reform the home oxygen benefit took a step forward today, when Reps. Mike Ross, D-Ark., and Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., introduced the Medicare Home Oxygen Therapy Act of 2009.
The bill, which is budget neutral, would repeal the 36-month cap on Medicare reimbursement for oxygen and pull the category out of national competitive bidding. It would also require CMS to recognize the services that make up home oxygen therapy.
AAHomecare worked with Ross and Meek to craft the bill, H.R. 3220.
“The Ross-Meek bill provides an opportunity to help protect oxygen patients, bring stability to oxygen policy and provide cost transparency,” said Tyler Wilson, president and CEO of the association, stated in a release. “We thank Reps. Ross and Meek for championing this important reform legislation.”
AAHomecare urges providers to contact their lawmakers and ask them to support H.R. 3220. Securing co-sponsors for the bill will increase the likelihood that its provisions will be included in the healthcare reform package currently under consideration in the House of Representatives.
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