WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 17, 2022)—The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) recently joined with respiratory stakeholders and patient advocates in letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Commerce leaders requesting that their agencies prioritize allocating semiconductor chips to manufacturers of home respiratory devices. Increasing the supply of these chips to CPAP and ventilator manufacturers is critical to ensure that home medical equipment (HME) suppliers and respiratory clinicians can meet the medical needs of patients who rely on these devices.
The letter notes a recent Dept. of Commerce report acknowledging that semiconductor fabrication plants have little capacity to increase their output, and adds: “With no other recourse, the federal government needs to take immediate action to prioritize the supply of semiconductor chips to medical device manufacturers.”
Other signatories on the letter include: Alpha 1 Foundation, American Association for Respiratory Care, COPD Foundation, Council for Quality Respiratory Care, Dorney-Koppel Foundation, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, Respiratory Health Association, U.S. COPD Coalition and VGM & Associates.
AAHomecare will continue to help drive engagement with the administration and Congress to increase the supply of semiconductors for respiratory manufacturers.
