31 National Health and Advocacy Organizations Urge to Congress to Pass Life-Changing Oxygen Reform This Year

Today, 31 leading patient, provider and professional organizations sent a letter to Congress urging them to include the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act (H.R. 2902/S.1406) in an end-of-year legislative healthcare package. The bipartisan legislation would ensure that Medicare beneficiaries who need supplemental oxygen can access the correct type and levels of oxygen to live independent and full lives. 

The organizations, which are listed below, released the following statement:

“The SOAR Act is critical to the lives of the more than 1.5 million Americans who rely on supplemental oxygen to breathe and live their daily lives. Yet far too many are facing serious health risks and reduced quality of life because they do not currently have access to the appropriate supplemental oxygen equipment and services, especially those who require high-flow, liquid oxygen. 

“Further delay will result in more patients losing access to medically necessary oxygen and related services. Patients have already experienced a lack of innovative treatment options, difficulty obtaining repairs because of a shortage of parts, and challenges obtaining new devices as manufacturers stop building new devices.

“We urge Congress to include the SOAR Act in an end-of-year healthcare package, as these patients cannot wait. The time to act is now to restore patient access to liquid oxygen and ensure that all patients receive the supplemental oxygen they need simply to breathe.”

Read the full letter here.

AA Homecare
Alpha-1 Foundation
American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
American Association for Respiratory Care
American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
American College of Chest Physicians
American Lung Association
American Physical Therapy Association
American Thoracic Society 
APTA Academy of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Physical Therapy
ARDS Alliance, Inc. 
Childrens Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease (chILD) Foundation
Council for Quality Respiratory Care 
COPD Foundation
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute
Dorney-Koppel Foundation
Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research 
NTM Info & Research
Patients Rising
Pulmonary Hypertension Association 
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
Pulmonary Fibrosis Warriors
Right2Breathe
Running On Air
Stop Sarcoidosis
The LAM Foundation
The PAP Foundation
TSC Alliance
VMG Group Inc.
Wescoe Foundation for Pulmonary Fibrosis