CQRC Sees Momentum on SOAR Act as Engagement Deepens
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) is confident that it can work with lawmakers and regulators on its top priorities for 2026, including passage of the SOAR Act, says Chair Robin Menchen, who is also president and CEO of Rotech Healthcare.
SOAR Act gains traction
The legislation, introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in April 2025, currently has 40 and four co-sponsors, respectively. A recent hearing of the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee gave the industry another chance to highlight how the bill could achieve goals like reducing costs and preserving patient access.
“The hearing was very good for us – there were well-thought-out questions asked,” said Menchen. “I’ve never felt better (about its chances of getting passed).”
The SOAR Act, for example, would establish and require the use of an electronic template created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which would reduce costs both for providers responding to audits and contractors performing them, says Menchen.
New CMS leadership opens doors for dialogue
Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was confirmed as CMS administrator in April 2025, has made cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse a cornerstone of his efforts to drive down Medicare costs. In turn, the administration and CMS have been more receptive to the HME industry’s messaging, says Menchen.
“We’ve actually been able to talk to the administration at a higher level than we were able to before,” she said. “Once there was the realization that we all want the same thing – we want to give quality health care, and they want seniors and others to get quality health care.”
CQRC seeks clarity on HMV compliance
The CQRC is also keeping a watch on the new coverage guidelines for home mechanical ventilation (HMV), which went into effect Oct. 22. The guidelines went into effect despite the industry asking for a longer lead time to ensure providers would be able to meet certain compliance requirements, says Menchen.
The CQRC recently submitted questions related to a requirement to track whether patients use HMVs at least four hours per day on 70% of days in a 30-day period as determined by a clinician. The organization has been concerned that some equipment cannot print out such records, says Menchen.
“(CMS) responded that, as long as we can verify with that patient and the physician that the patient is continuing to use it, it can just be documented that they’re using a device,” she said. “That was helpful. CMS is recognizing that there really is a glide path when it comes to getting the technology in place to be in full compliance.”