Proposed Legislation Would Protect Medicare Home Oxygen Benefits
Online, November 27, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Los Angeles, CA - The Medicare Home Oxygen Therapy Act of 2009, legislation to reform the Medicare home oxygen benefit and protect the needs of home oxygen beneficiaries, has the support of The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC), a coalition of home oxygen therapy providers and manufacturers who provide care and services to chronically ill home oxygen patients.
The legislation focuses on beneficiary protections and addresses fraud, abuse and waste.
"The legislation will strengthen and protect the Medicare benefit for more than a million Medicare patients who rely on home oxygen care," explained Alan Weinstock, an insurance broker with http://www.MedicareSupplementPlans.com. "The intent is to create a patient-centered Medicare benefit that aligns payments and costs in order to meet patient needs."
The National Emphysema/COPD Association (NECA) also voiced its support.
Barbara Rogers, President of the NECA, said, "We appreciate that this legislation recognizes the important patient services that oxygen users need to feel secure in their care."
Home oxygen benefits have repeatedly been hit by cuts in recent years, including a 27 percent cut in 2009, resulting in nearly an $850 million reduction in reimbursements for home oxygen, bringing reimbursement rates to levels below what they were in 1997.
"This reform not only could preserve the benefit, but also save taxpayer dollars. At the same time, it allows many Medicare patients the chance to remain independent at home," Weinstock stated.
Weinstock believes that the home oxygen benefit is essential for many seniors. He stated that it is also important to have Medicare supplement insurance coverage in addition to original Medicare. He indicated that seniors can easily compare rates, plans and benefits from several prominent insurance companies at http://www.MedicareSupplementPlans.com.
Some of the specific components of the legislation include a uniform set of beneficiary services, rights and protections; an expanded retesting requirement and a payment system that links Medicare payments with beneficiary need, ties reimbursement rates to cost, and creates cost transparency. The elimination of the 36-month cap on home oxygen is also on the table.