WASHINGTON--On May 24, Sens. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., introduced a bill that would restore the Medicare policy for oxygen therapy that was in effect before the Deficit Reduction Act's sweeping changes.

Officially known as S. 1484, the bill would essentially repeal the DRA's 36-month oxygen rental cap and return equipment ownership to the provider, also eliminating the law's mandate for a title transfer to the beneficiary after the cap.

The proposed measure is an identical companion to the Home Oxygen Patient Protection Act (H.R. 621), introduced in the House in January (see HomeCare Monday, Jan. 29). So far, the House bill has picked up 83 cosponsors.

According to the American Association for Homecare, the two bills "reflect growing support for a return to the patient-centered oxygen policy before the DRA, and also signals Congress that further erosion of oxygen therapy reimbursement is unacceptable."

Original cosponsors of S. 1484 include Sens. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and George Voinovich, R-Ohio. The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over issues related to home care.

The timing of the bill is critical, according to AAHomecare, because oxygen therapy is a current budget-cutting topic for Congress. During its annual Legislative Conference in Washington this week, association members and industry advocates plan to lobby federal legislators to sign on to the oxygen legislation, along with competitive bidding bills H.R. 1845 and S. 1428, which would soften some effects of bidding project. (See HomeCare Monday, May 22.)

AAHomecare is urging stakeholders to contact members of the House and Senate to express support for the bills.

To view the text of S. 1484, visit http://thomas.loc.gov.

For talking points about the oxygen and competitive bidding bills, visit www.aahomecare.org.

To get contact information for members of Congress, visit www.house.gov or www.senate.gov.