Government Affairs Activities

Medicare Home Oxygen Equipment and Home Patients
The AARC is supporting legislation, HR 621 the Home Oxygen Patient Protection Act which would repeal a new provision which now requires Medicare beneficiaries to take ownership of their oxygen equipment after 36 months of rental. The AARC is very concerned that the legislation and the subsequent regulations still leave questions unanswered as to the responsibility that Medicare beneficiaries will have to assume once the take over ownership of their oxygen equipment.

Outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation
S. 329 and HR 552, the Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act would require Medicare to issue a national coverage policy for all outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation programs. Currently Medicare local and regional authorities have the right to design coverage policies, resulting in a patchwork and inconsistent set of coverage criteria. This bill would final require a national coverage policy that would standardized the components, services and coverage for this vital and effective program.

Respiratory Therapy Representation to a Key Medicare Advisory Committee
Karen Stewart, MS, RRT , FAARC appointed to the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee. This federal committee advises the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on whether specific medical items and services are reasonable and necessary under Medicare law.

Oxygen Use On Airlines
AARC supported the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulation which gives the option to air carriers to permit approved portable oxygen concentrators on airplanes. We await a Department of Transportation regulation which would mandate the air carriers permit this.

RTs and Disaster Response
The Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of Mass Casualty Planning, has recognized that the nation needs to have a cohort of respiratory therapists who can be called up by the Federal government in times of  natural or manmade emergencies. Two hundred  RTs are needed. The AARC is working with the federal government to meet these goals. Recognizing that in case of  a pandemic flu event, the demand for ventilators will be intense, the AARC has developed a document to be used by the state, local and federal governments on the appropriate acquisition of ventilators. Click here to read the Ventilator document.

Congressional COPD Caucus
Continues to work with Congressional COPD Caucus to raise the profile and advocate for legislation that targets and addresses the needs of the pulmonary patient.

Consumer Health Alliance for Safe Medication
AARC is a member of the Consumer Health Alliance for Safe Medication (CHASM), a coalition of consumer groups, physician organizations and pharmaceutical companies to ensure patients with respiratory conditions have access to safe and effective medications and are protected from products that may pose unwarranted risks.

Tobacco/Smoking Cessation
AARC continues to participate in Coalition efforts to better regulated the tobacco industry. Our focus is both national (support for greater government regulation over tobacco products) and state directed. Our focus on states issues range from supporting increased excise taxes on tobacco products, supporting state efforts to restrict smoking in the work and other public places and urging states to effectively allocate Tobacco Settlement funds for health promotion and smoking cessation activities.

The AARC has analyzed and provided an extensive members only document that explains the recent Medicare coverage policy on smoking cessation. You may find this document on the AARC website.

CPT Codes
The AARC has a representative on the Health Care Advisory Committee to the AMA’s CPT Coding Editorial Panel. The Editorial Panel assesses the requests for and determines the need for new procedure codes. This provides the AARC with an opportunity to comment, from the respiratory therapy perspective on any proposed changes including additions, revisions and deletions of codes.