Tag: Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC)
SOAR Act surpasses 50 sign-ons
May 13, 2026HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – More than 13 leading respiratory patient, physician and provider organizations applaud the now more than 50 co-sponsors for the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act (H.R. 2902/S.1406), according to the Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC). The SOAR Act would modernize Medicare’s oxygen benefit, improve access to respiratory therapists, and strengthen patient protections – helping reduce avoidable hospitalizations and allowing people to remain active...
In brief: Coral ‘getting started,’ Access Infusion expanding, Medline piloting automation
April 22, 2026HME News Staff
NEW YORK – Coral, a health care automation platform built for durable medical equipment (DME) and other specialty providers, has announced a $12.5 million investment led by Lightspeed and Z47 to grow its team and enhance its products.
The platform connects to existing EHR systems, fax lines and payer portals and automates end-to-end administrative workflows.
“Every person in the health care system is being slowed down by the same thing: administrative work that was never built to...
CQRC, industry stakeholders seek clarifications on vent policy
April 21, 2026HME News Staff
WASHINGTON, DC – The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) joined stakeholder groups in sending a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urgently calling for clarifying guidance for the continuing use criteria for both home mechanical ventilators (HMV) and respiratory assist devices (RAD) used by Medicare beneficiaries with chronic respiratory conditions.
April 2026 is the month in which the first group of patients prescribed the devices must meet continuing use...
CQRC sees momentum on SOAR Act as engagement deepens
February 6, 2026Theresa Flaherty
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) is confident that it can work with lawmakers and regulators on its top priorities for 2026, including passage of the SOAR Act, says Chair Robin Menchen, who is also president and CEO of Rotech Healthcare.
SOAR Act gains traction
The legislation, introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in April 2025, currently has 40 and four co-sponsors,...
In brief: CQRC on CBP, WellSky on CarePort-Epic integration, Medtronic on new diabetes lead
December 11, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) commends the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for not including supplemental oxygen and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices and supplies in the next round of the competitive bidding program (CBP). Listening to concerns outlined by the CQRC and other oxygen stakeholders, Medicare’s decision to omit the products will lock in previous savings, while protecting patient...
CQRC applauds CMS for omitting oxygen, CPAP from competitive bidding
December 10, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) commends the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for not including supplemental oxygen and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices and supplies in the next round of Medicare’s competitive bidding program (CBP). Listening to concerns outlined by the CQRC and other oxygen stakeholders, Medicare’s decision to omit the products will lock in previous savings, while...
CQRC adds its voice to hearing on chronic disease management
November 24, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) sent a letter to the U.S. House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Vernon Buchanan and Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett II in response to a recent hearing on “Modernizing Care Coordination to Prevent and Treat Chronic Disease.” The letter expressed the CQRC’s appreciation for holding a hearing to consider ways to address challenges in diagnosing and managing chronic diseases and acknowledged the important bipartisan...
CQRC offers up SOAR Act as way to support access to new tech
September 22, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) shared a letter with the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee in advance of its hearing “Examining Policies to Enhance Seniors’ Access to Breakthrough Medical Technologies” to promote its SOAR Act. In the letter, the CQRC makes the case that the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act (S. 1406/H.R. 2902) would:
Support innovation by locking in the savings from Medicare’s competitive...
Next round of competitive bidding: Comment period closes
September 2, 2025HME News Staff
YARMOUTH, Maine – VGM Group, the Council for Quality Respiratory Care and Cardinal Health at-Home Solutions have all shared the comments they submitted in response to CMS’s plans to resurrect the national competitive bidding program. The deadline for submitting comments was Friday, Aug. 29.
Key recommendations in VGM’s comments include:
Opposing the proposed Remote Item Delivery Competitive Bid Program.
Urging CMS to exclude ostomy, urological...
CQRC Chair Menchen wants to protect patient access amid bidding, other concerns
August 8, 2025Theresa Flaherty
ORLANDO, Fla. - As the new chair of the Council for Quality Respiratory Care, Robin Menchen has a lot of irons in the fire, including the SOAR Act, the new national coverage determination for non-invasive ventilation and the return of competitive bidding. Menchen, who is also president and CEO of Rotech Healthcare, spoke with HME News about the organization’s priorities and where the industry can look for opportunity.
HME News: The big news in the industry right now is the return of...