Archive for July 2026
My daughter shouldn’t have to fight for oxygen | Opinion
Oxygen keeps my daughter Lily alive. Policy holds her back. As a pediatric intensive care unit nurse, I’ve spent my career caring for children with complex medical needs. I thought I understood what it means to navigate the health care system − until my young daughter Lily was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension: a serious condition…
Read MoreHow my Alpha-1 diagnosis led me to SOAR Act advocacy
As a lifelong runner and veteran of the U.S. military, I’ve always thrived on being active and enjoying the interests I prioritize, including traveling and spending time with my wife, children and grandchildren. So, when I first had trouble breathing while mowing the yard and completing my daily tasks, I knew something wasn’t right. After…
Read MoreAll Kansas leaders should join Roger Marshall to help COPD patients breathe | Opinion
In Kansas, there are more than 140,000 people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is a progressive lung disease that causes damage to the lungs and makes it more difficult to breathe over time. I am one of those people. My experience shows the challenges many COPD patients face to access the care…
Read MoreIndustry Letter Urges U.S. House to Advance SOAR Act
July 2, 2026 by Laurie Watanabe Three industry organizations are urging the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce to advance H.R. 2902, the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act before Congress’s August recess. The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare), the Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) and VGM & Associates cowrote a June 30 letter…
Read MoreStakeholders urge House committee to advance SOAR Act
AAHomecare, the Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) and the VGM Group are urging leaders of the House Energy & Commerce Committee to take up and pass the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform Act (SOAR Act) before the August recess. In a June 30 letter to Chair Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the organizations said H.R. 2902should move independently…
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