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AARC Celebrates Reintroduction of the SOAR Act in the House and Senate

Bill Passage is Key to Supplemental Oxygen Access and Adequate Reimbursement

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) applauds the reintroduction of the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act in both chambers of Congress. This bipartisan legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by David Valadao (R-CA), Adrian Smith (R-MO), Julia Brownley (D-CA), and Gabe Evans (R-CO), and in the U.S. Senate by Senators Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

The SOAR Act would significantly improve access to supplemental oxygen for Medicare beneficiaries by:

• Establishing a new payment methodology for liquid oxygen.
• Enabling supplemental oxygen patients to access respiratory therapists more easily.

“AARC is deeply appreciative of Representatives Valadao, Smith, Brownley, and Evans for their sponsorship,” said Theresa Cantu, MSRC, RRT, RRT-NPS, AE-C, Co-Chair of the AARC Government Affairs Committee. “We are grateful to Representative Valadao for his important leadership on this initiative. It is with his help that patients will have access to care provided by a respiratory therapist when they are placed on supplemental oxygen and in need.”

The California Society for Respiratory Care, in collaboration with AARC leadership, met with Representative Valadao to advocate for these critical reforms.

Dana Evans, MSA, RRT, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS, AE-C, FAARC, President of the American Association for Respiratory Care, emphasized the broader impact of the bill:

“Advocating for improved patient access to respiratory care outside of the acute care setting is essential. The reintroduction of the SOAR Act is a critical step toward ensuring that individuals who rely on supplemental oxygen can lead fuller, more active lives—without the burden of financial hardship or limited access to care.”