From time to time, we bring to your attention a bill that is before Congress or the Senate and ask you to write to your Representatives or Senators to take a position.
ACTION ALERTS – Issues and Bills You Should be Watching
NEW RULING RE: POCs
FINALLY! A Ruling by the D.O.T. re: use of Portable Oxygen Concentrators. The ruling - the Air Carrier Access Act - states that airlines MUST accept certain approved POC's onboard flights. The ruling which does not take effect until May of 2009 includes some key provisions and caveats. You'll find more info at the links below.
The list of approved devices includes:
AirSep FreeStyle
AirSep LifeStyle
Inogen One
Respironics EverGo
Sequal Eclipse
Find out more:
AARC
Your Lung Health
MEDICARE/MEDICAID PAYMENTS TO DME PROVIDERS TO CHANGE
Periodically we post information here about the plan to cut Medicare spending by reducing benefits to Durable Medical Equipment Providers (DME) in the U.S. Well, things are coming to a head. Phase 1* of competetive bidding is taking place and soon the winners and losers will be announced.
What you need to know is that in the event your current provider is not a "winner" in this bidding process, your provider must either accept whatever payment Medicare offers for services, or discontinue the service altogether. Many in the industry believe the costlier services — the supplying of liquid oxygen systems, for example — may be discontinued by some providers, causing a mass migration of patients, but since it won't be all that profitable for anyone to provide the costlier services, there won't be any incentive to take on new patients. In short, you may have to settle for something else like those awkward gas cannisters!
There's more at stake than simply oxygen, of course. There is a laundrylist of services and supplies that will be affected including wheelchairs, hospital beds, diabetes testing supplies and more.
You'll find some good links below that will explain more on this subject.
* Phase one covers the following cities: living in Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Kansas City, Mo.; Miami, Fla.; Orlando, Fla; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Riverside, Calif. and San Juan, P.R.
Latest Update 7/15/08
CKICK HERE for the Latest Update on this legislation.
Read the CMS Page
See a list of product categories affected by this legislation
Another good summary article
GENETIC INFORMATION NONDISCRIMINATION ACT of 2007
Title: A bill to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment. S 358
Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] (introduced 1/22/2007) Cosponsors (32)
Related Bills: H.R.493
Senate Reports: 110-48
The purpose of this legislation is to protect individuals from discrimination in health insurance and employment on the basis of genetic information. Establishing these protections will allay concerns about the potential for discrimination and encourage individuals to participate in genetic research and to take advantage of genetic testing, new technologies, and new therapies. The legislation will provide substantive protections to those individuals who may suffer from actual genetic discrimination now and in the future. These steps are essential to fulfilling the promise of the human genome project. Read more here.
HR 3368 PULMONARY HYPERTENSION RESEARCH and EDUCATION ACT of 2007
This bill would:
- Expand Federal investment in PH and increase collaboration among top pulmonary hypertension research centers.
- Provide funding for additional education — including regional training sites — for medical professionals.
- Have a Steering committee — Program Management through NHLBI.
- Increase Public Awareness of Pulmonary Hypertension, facilitated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Disseminate information to Health Professionals on Pulmonary Hypertension, ensuring that providers remain informed about the disease
- Provide for a study by Government Accountability Office on medicare and Medicaid Coverage Standards — coverage standards that under the programs apply to patients with pulmonary hypertension.
To read the bill, please go to: The Library of Congress
ENDING the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2005 – S.1217 (109th Congress)
Purpose: A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to phase out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits, to eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions, and for other purposes.
RECENT ACTION ITEMS FROM THE PHCENTRAL NEWSROOM:
Oxygen to Be Easier To Use on Airplanes (Wall Street Journal) -- Federal regulators said they will expand protections for passengers with disabilities to cover international flights by U.S. carriers and make it easier for travelers to use oxygen equipment.
WRITE TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS – YOUR OPINION COUNTS!
This link will take you to the Legislative Action Center hosted by the League of Women Voters. Just enter your zip code and click "GO"
SEARCH THE LIBRARY OF COMMERCE FOR CURRENT OR PAST LEGISLATION INCLUDING THE BILLS LISTED ABOVE.
You may search the Library of Commerce by bill number or by typing in key worlds. Note: you need to specify the congress number to narrow down your search as the bill numbering system begins fresh every year. For 2005-6, the congress is numbered at 109.
Useful Resources:
GOVERNMENT INFORMATION — Bills and information about your Representatives and Senators
This will give you your Representatives phone numbers
This will give you your Senators phone numbers.
With this link you can find any bill that is currently before Congress or the Senate
Read HR 3005 and S 1774 from the 109th Congress
|
