Tag: smoking
Low‑cost oxygen safety device stuck in reimbursement limbo
January 30, 2026Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine – Thermal fuses can stop oxygen‑related fires before they spread, making them a simple, low‑cost safeguard for home oxygen therapy. But without reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), many HME providers say they can’t afford to routinely supply them in today’s tight‑margin environment.
While thermal fuses are relatively inexpensive – less than $5 a piece – it's tough...
Study links childhood smoking, COPD
January 7, 2025HME News Staff
MIAMI – Childhood smoking before age 15 increases a person’s risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a recent study published in the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal. “Our study suggests that a person with a childhood smoking history has an increased risk of developing COPD, regardless of current smoking status, smoking duration, cigarette pack years and exposure to...
COPD mortality tied to poverty, study says
December 30, 2013HME News Staff
LONDON - Mortality rates among COPD patients in low-income countries are linked more to poverty than the prevalence of smoking, according to a new international study published in Thorax. Researchers examined COPD mortality data from 170 countries, finding a strong inverse correlation between mortality and gross national income (GNI). Where the annual GNI was below $15,000, they found COPD mortality rose, but it had no clear link to smoking. Mortality was strongly correlated with spirometric restriction,...