Arkansas PACT Visits Congressman Vic Snyder

Although it is an election year and health care legislation is moving at a snail’s pace, John Campbell and Theresa Gramlich found time to visit with Congressman Vic Snyder this past July to discuss certain legislation affecting the respiratory patient. HR 964 has and will continue to be a major piece of legislation that if passed, will allow for reimbursement of respiratory care services provided by a respiratory care practitioner in the home health setting. Currently, these services are reimbursed only if provided by a nurse or physical therapist. This bill was introduced again in the Congressional House in 2005. Although most of the Arkansas delegation does support this bill, the hold up is that a companion bill must also be introduced into the Senate. It is recommended that a Republican member of the Senate Finance and Administration committee introduce this bill. As of yet, this companion bill has not been introduced.

Another important piece of legislation is Senate bill 1440 (S.1440), the Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act of 2005. This bill was originally introduced by Arkansas Senator Blanch Lincoln and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and basically requests clear and consistent Medicare policy for pulmonary rehabilitation. Currently, some states do have Medicare coverage for pulmonary rehab services, while others do not. Arkansas is one of the states that do not allow Medicare coverage for pulmonary rehabilitation. Passage of this bill would insure consistent coverage across the country. As of June of this year, a companion bill to S. 1440 has been introduced in Congress. John Campbell and Theresa Gramlich specifically asked Congressman Vic Snyder to support this bill.

The third issue brought to the Congressman’s attention was HR 5513, a bill to restore the previous payment method for home oxygen equipment. As a result of the Budget Reduction Act passed earlier this year, Medicare beneficiaries must assume responsibility ownership, maintenance and service of their home oxygen equipment after 36 months of rental. HR 5513, if passed, would rescind the new Medicare law and allow patients to continue to rent their equipment as well as receive proper service and maintenance.

While Congressman Snyder voiced his support for these important pieces of legislation, we still ask our own members to keep in contact with their respective district congressmen and senators by emailing letters or faxes requesting their continued support for the pulmonary patient. You are constituents and you are voters. Your letters are very important and necessary to create the changes that will ensure the pulmonary patient’s access to quality respiratory care.