Hundreds of oxygen advocates urge passage of SOAR Act

WASHINGTON – More than 300 people living with chronic conditions who rely on supplemental oxygen have met with lawmakers and their staff this year to urge Congress to pass the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act (H.R. 2902/S.1406).

With limited time remaining in this Congress, the supporting organizations, representing individuals with respiratory and other health conditions, care providers, suppliers and advocates, call on lawmakers to pass this life-changing legislation before the end of the year. The SOAR Act currently has 69 sponsors in the House of Representatives and 9 sponsors in the Senate.

"Losing access to liquid oxygen has cost me my independence and precious experiences with my family,” said advocate Colleen Connor, who is living with pulmonary arterial hypertension. “There are also high-flow oxygen patients who cannot be discharged from the hospital because adequate equipment is simply unavailable, an unintended consequence of Medicare reimbursement policy. That is why passing the SOAR Act matters so deeply to me. It would give patients like me our independence back, and give hospitalized patients access to the high-flow oxygen they need to go home when they are ready.”

Throughout 2026, patients, caregivers and family members have brought their stories directly to Congress through eight advocacy days organized by members of the SOAR Act Coalition. Together, they have underscored how barriers to supplemental oxygen can limit someone’s ability to work, travel, attend medical appointments and participate in everyday life.     

The SOAR Act, a bipartisan, patient-centered bill, would address long-standing barriers and ensure more individuals can access the supplemental oxygen they need to survive and live independently – something that has become increasingly difficult under the current Medicare system. It would also put comprehensive reforms and protections in place to improve access to respiratory care support and education and improve Medicare documentation requirements to protect beneficiaries from fraud and abuse.

• Related: Some patients are staying in acute-care beds longer than medically necessary because hospitals cannot find home medical equipment (HME) providers willing or able to furnish liquid oxygen services at home, says Katie Kroner, vice president of advocacy and patient engagement for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA).