CQRC hails oxygen letter

WASHINGTON – The Council for Quality Respiratory Care applauded the 22 bipartisan House lawmakers for urging the CMS to protect patients’ access to home oxygen. In a letter, spearheaded by Reps. Terri Sewell, D.-Ala., and Larry Bucshon, R.-Ind., to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, they wrote in support of reforms to the home oxygen therapy benefit, and asked the agency to ensure that Medicare contractor documentation requirements are consistent and standardized though the use of a clear, objective template. “Particularly in the wake of a respiratory disease global pandemic, we have seen just how vital access to supplemental oxygen therapy is to keeping Medicare beneficiaries safe and stable at home,” said Crispin Teufel, Chair of CQRC. “We hope CMS takes action to protect patient access by ensuring every supplier is working from the same standardized template to confirm a patient’s medical necessity, and we thank Congress for their support.”