CPF Submits Comments to CMS to Save Only Effective Therapy Available to P...(of its patient population a lack of awar...),Health

Date:8/31/2009

of its patient population, a lack of awareness of the benefits of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation on these patients, and, frankly, the increased attention typically afforded diseases of higher prevalence, such as COPD, in Federal programs," the CPF included in its comments.

"I need my pulmonary rehab program," said patient Ellen Foley who has less than 50 percent lung capacity remaining. "It has helped me breathe better and helps me try to stay ahead of my disease. Even though I know my PF is getting worse, by going to pulmonary rehab, I can make the most of the lung function I have left."

Even though Congress passed a national coverage policy for pulmonary rehab earlier this year that was designed to include patients with PF and other lethal or chronic lung diseases, CMS threatens to prevent them from receiving the benefit that Congress worked to provide. Patients and experts worry that private insurance payers will follow suit and no coverage for pulmonary rehab will be available for the majority of patients who suffer from deadly lung diseases like PF. The only disease CMS plans to cover, under the proposed ruling, would be Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD); and even COPD is being negatively affected by the ruling that plans to limit its coverage to basically only end stage patients.

"We are stunned that CMS would propose such a sweeping and negatively impacting ruling that harms so many patients. We hope that they will thoroughly review our comments and the more than 2,000 that have been submitted to them by concerned medical professionals and patient groups nationwide," said Mishka Michon, Chief Executive Officer of the CPF. "Then, it is hope that CMS will reconsider its position and provide coverage for the many types of patients who need and deserve it."

The CPF also joined with those of other patient groups as part of the American Thoracic Society's (ATS) P
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SOURCE Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis Copyright©2009 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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