This season, the AARC will begin lobbying in earnest for House Resolution 2619; the Medicare policy coverage Respiratory Therapist Accessibility Act, known as HR 2619. It is a part of a long-term way to enhance the life of respiratory practitioners on Capitol Hill and in a healthcare center, DME, or physician’s workplace near you. One of the misconceptions that people have and I think many CRTs have is that the AARC is working extra time to force us out of the field of respiratory treatment. Not real. The AARC has gone to extreme conditions not only to secure the CRTs, but to allow them to continue working. What, then, is the bill about? It’s about predicting respiratory treatment in the same light other professions in the healthcare center are projected, such as radiology, physical therapy, work-related treatment, and others.
So here’s a wake-up call for every certified respiratory therapist working; the AARC is not the end of your profession. Unfortunately, only a little over a third of us working in respiratory treatment are associates of the only professional team that is lobbying for us, and may understand HR 2619 as a risk to their jobs. Again, this is not true. HR 2619 seeks to get recognition for the exclusive and specific work respiratory therapists do, both in and out of the healthcare center. It is true that unless you keep the RRT certification and a bachelor’s degree in a healthcare self-discipline that there could be some projects that you cannot execute, particularly outside of the healthcare center and get paid for. You can still do the work; you and your company just may not be refunded all you could be with the CRT certification in contrast to the registered respiratory therapist.
You have to comprehend a little about state policies. Any MBA will tell you that political figures and organizations in general worry about three things: how to reduce costs, how to increase sales, and how to pay for your new idea. Researches are ongoing to figure out a price advantage for having those with advanced qualifications and advanced degrees offer some and the key phrase is “some,” health care. This in no way has an impact on the CRT doing his or her work in the healthcare center, rehabilitation service, DME, or other places. Even those employed by doctors in the workplace will not be put out of a job depending on this regulation, though the doctor may choose to find a registered respiratory therapist to increase their capability to get compensated by Insurance policy coverage. That is an employer choice and not a ramification of HR 2619. Other insurance companies, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, etc, will likely adhere to the paths of Insurance policy coverage, as they always have.