Survey finds oxygen access issues delay hospital discharges

WASHINGTON – Limited access to high-flow home oxygen is delaying hospital discharges and adding costs and risks for patients and the health care system, according to a national survey by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA). In the survey, 94% of 54 respiratory clinicians at 40 medical centers nationwide reported at least one discharge delay per month related to oxygen access issues. One-third reported six or more patients experiencing delays each month. Most delays added two or more days to a patient’s hospital stay. Sixty-nine percent of respondents cited insurance approval delays, and 67% reported an inability by suppliers to provide high-flow oxygen systems, including liquid oxygen, as primary barriers to discharge. “These patients are medically ready to go home,” said Nick Kolaitis, MD. “The barrier is access to the right equipment, and this data makes clear it is not an isolated problem – it is happening at medical centers across the country.” Patients with pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, COPD and those awaiting lung transplants often require high-flow supplemental oxygen. The association says widely available portable oxygen concentrators cannot meet that need, while liquid oxygen systems, which provide high-flow oxygen in a lightweight, portable format, have become less available because many suppliers no longer provide them due to inadequate reimbursement from Medicare and other payers. The survey was distributed by the American Lung Association, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, the COPD Foundation and the Foundation for Scleroderma Research, and results were presented at PHA’s 2026 International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions in Dallas. Responses were collected from Oct. 14 through Nov. 18, 2025.

• Related: Stakeholders urge House committee to advance SOAR Act, which includes provisions to increase access to liquid oxygen.