In the News - Support Inclusion of Pulmonary Rehab Provisions In Final Medicare Package

Action Alert—Write to Congress
Support Inclusion of Pulmonary Rehab Provisions In Final Medicare Package

Update June 24, 2008:

The House of Representatives has passed HR 6331, their version of the Medicare package, which does include the pulmonary rehab language.

Two other important pieces of news to come in the House Medicare bill:

Competitive bidding would be delayed from its July 1 implementation date.
The 36-month rent-to-own provision would be repealed.

Here is what needs to happen at this time:

Continue to contact your Senators and urge them to support the “Medicare Package” that is being worked on in the Senate. These contacts can be e-mail, fax or phone. The Capitol Connection links below are still the easiest way to make contact.
Continue to monitor the AARC website for updates on how things are going. We fully expect there to be a vote in the Senate on a Medicare Package and then the need to negotiate one common bill between the House and Senate. We need to ensure pulmonary rehab and other important provisions remain in the final legislation.

We are on the forefront of making a historic improvement in care for our patients who have pulmonary disease. Bills are being crafted in the Senate and in the House, which are known only as the “Medicare Package.” Currently they contain the pulmonary rehabilitation provisions of S 329 and HR 552. We want to ensure these provisions remain intact in the final Medicare package.

Contact your Congressional representatives now to enlist their support. You can email, call, or fax your support into Washington DC. We have suggested messages or templates below for the convenience of respiratory therapists who are contacting their legislators. If you have patients who are willing to support this, direct them to this issue on YourLungHealth.org.