Stakeholders press CMS for clarification on vent requirement
By HME News Staff
Updated 3:14 PM CDT, Thu May 14, 2026
WASHINGTON – AAHomecare has joined several advocacy and patient groups in signing a letter to CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz requesting immediate clarification on guidance for continuing-use criteria for home mechanical ventilators (HMVs) and respiratory assist devices (RADs) for Medicare beneficiaries with chronic respiratory failure due to COPD. In the absence of clear guidance, informal supplier surveys show that more than 50% of beneficiaries using HMVs or RADs could be required to return their equipment and discontinue therapy, even when their physicians believe it is medically necessary. Stakeholders argue that strict adherence to Medicare’s adherence requirement of four or more hours of use per day on 70% of days within a 30-day period does not reflect the clinical course of COPD. They emphasize that patients often experience variable tolerance during the first six months of therapy and that a single month of sub‑threshold use during the maintenance phase should not trigger loss of coverage. Stakeholders also request clarification on the threshold requirement for high‑intensity settings for RAD bi‑level pressure capability devices with a back‑up rate. They urge CMS to issue guidance applicable to all audit contractors before the end of April, retroactive to April 1, to ensure that patients who medically require these devices can maintain access.
- Related: Viemed is hitting an inflection point in its ventilator business under new Medicare rules, with stronger compliance and accelerating referrals offset by higher patient turnover.
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