Hundreds of Patients and Advocates Call on Congress to Pass Life-Changing Oxygen Reform Before End of Year

WASHINGTON D.C. – (September 15, 2026) – With just months remaining in the 119th Congress, patients, caregivers and advocates across the country are calling on Congress to pass the bipartisan Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act (H.R. 2902/S.1406).This year alone, more than 300 people living with chronic conditions who rely on supplemental oxygen, and other community advocates, have taken their message directly to Congress, holding more than 600 meetings with lawmakers and their staff to share their experiences and urge action on the SOAR Act.      

The SOAR Act, a bipartisan, patient-centered bill, would address long-standing barriers and ensure more individuals can access the supplemental oxygen they need to survive and live independently – something that has become increasingly difficult under the current Medicare system. More than 1.5 million people in the U.S. with serious lung and heart conditions rely on supplemental oxygen, yet for far too many, access to the right type and level of oxygen for their medical needs is unreliable, delayed, or simply unavailable. This includes portable, high-flow liquid oxygen that can be essential for people with greater oxygen needs. Congress has an opportunity this year to address these barriers and ensure patients can get the oxygen they need to breathe and live active, independent lives.      

The legislation would also put comprehensive reforms and protections in place to improve access to respiratory care support and education. Further, it would improve Medicare documentation requirements to protect beneficiaries from fraud and abuse.

“Losing access to liquid oxygen has cost me my independence and precious experiences with my family. There are also high-flow oxygen patients who cannot be discharged from the hospital because adequate equipment is simply unavailable, an unintended consequence of Medicare reimbursement policy. That is why passing the SOAR Act matters so deeply to me. It would give patients like me our independence back, and give hospitalized patients access to the high-flow oxygen they need to go home when they are ready,” said advocate Colleen Connor, who is living with pulmonary arterial hypertension. 

“This legislation is not just about enabling people to breathe at home but ensuring they can participate in their communities and enjoy life’s activities without undue hardship,” says Janet Mockovciak, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research Patient Advocate. 

Throughout 2026, patients, caregivers and family members have brought their stories directly to Congress through eight advocacy days organized by members of the SOAR Act Coalition. Together, they have underscored how barriers to supplemental oxygen can limit someone’s ability to work, travel, attend medical appointments and participate in everyday life.      

“Have you ever been unable to breathe? Your breath is your life,” said Anita Clos, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation advocate and lung transplant recipient. “The SOAR Act will help people get the right oxygen when and where they need it, because everything feels impossible when you can’t breathe.”

First introduced in 2024, the SOAR Act was reintroduced in 2025 and currently has 69 House sponsors and 9 Senate sponsors. With limited time remaining in this Congress, the supporting organizations, representing individuals with respiratory and other health conditions, care providers, suppliers, and advocates, call on lawmakers to pass this life-changing legislation before the end of the year.

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Alpha-1 Foundation

American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)

American Association for Respiratory Care

American College of Chest Physicians

American Lung Association

American Thoracic Society

APTA Academy of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Physical Therapy

ARDS Alliance, Inc.

Children’s Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease (chILD) Foundation

COPD Foundation

Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC)

Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute

Dorney-Koppel Foundation

Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research

National Scleroderma Foundation

NTM Info & Research

Patients Rising

PF Warriors

Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

Pulmonary Hypertension Association

Running On Air

TSC Alliance

Wescoe Foundation for Pulmonary Fibrosis

For more information, contact:

Jill Dale, American Lung Association

312-940-7001

Jill.Dale@Lung.org

Ellen Almond, CQRC

202-271-0234

ealmond@schmidtpa.com