WASHINGTON — When it was all said and done last week, 123 members of the House of Representatives had signed on to a "Dear Colleague" letter to ask that CMS revise the post-36-month oxygen payment rules.
The letter, authored by Reps. Tom Price, R-Ga.; Mike Ross, D-Ark.; Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo.; and Heath Shuler, D-N.C., urges leadership of the powerful House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees to recommend to CMS that appropriate payments for home oxygen therapy be continued through the beneficiary's period of medical need.
According to the letter:
"Home oxygen providers are more than just suppliers of equipment, they are also front-line caregivers. They educate patients on the proper use their equipment, answer patients' questions, make repairs and adjustments, and ensure that patients are receiving the prescribed amount of oxygen. These providers are on the first line of care for Medicare beneficiaries who require home oxygen therapy. They take calls at all hours and in rural areas drive long distances to make sure that their patients receive the care they need. Without reimbursements for these visits, suppliers will not be able to afford to provide the current level of care for many of these oxygen patients ...
Without immediate changes to the Medicare oxygen policies, patient care will be compromised and Medicare costs will increase."
Read the full text of the letter.
See a complete list of representatives who signed on to the letter, posted on the AAHomecare Web site.
On Feb. 13, CMS issued a change request transmittal on payment for repair, maintenance and servicing of oxygen equipment as a result of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. Read a Medicare Learning Network article related to CR6297.
CMS has also released information on the use of certificates of medical necessity related to its new oxygen rules. View a PDF of the full message on the Jurisdiction A (NHIC) Web site.