Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
CMS Starts a Prior Authorization on Vein Ablation Performed in Ambulatory Surgical Centers
Although the HBOT PA process was limited to 3 states, HBOT utilization decreased nationwide and today remains at a 16 year low.
CMS Data Demonstrates a Cost and Clinical Advantage for Hyperbaric Oxygen for Radiation – Read it Ahead of Print in UHM!
These data support previous studies that demonstrate the clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness of HBO2 in conjunction with routine interventions.
Trends in Physician Supervision of HBOT – Paper Available Ahead of Print (and Why it Matters)
We know this does not seem like an interesting or even scientific topic. However, the implications of this study could have a big impact on the field of hyperbaric medicine.
Just in Time for Christmas! The 2024 CMS HOPD G0277 Error Rate Has Been Corrected!!! Guest Post from John Peters
Patients won today, and the specialty was lifted with the broad base of support we received.
CMS Posts Public Comments Including Those Submitted Regarding the Proposed HBOT Payment Reduction
As jaded as I get over the years, I know for a fact that someone at CMS reads every single comment submitted, so your time is not wasted.
An Update on the Hyperbaric Oxygen Fee Reduction
Guest Post by John Peters, Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) Executive Director
Noridian: Here’s Their Hyperbaric Oxygen Checklist
Here is the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) checklist for Noridian. Later I will post information about their TPE results.
Urgent: We Need Your Help to Stop a 41% Cut in Medicare Reimbursement for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in 2024
Please follow the links within to add your voice to this collaborative effort! We are all in this together.
‘Tis the Season for (Bad) Surprises with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy – Guest Blog by Helen Gelly, MD
We need to be patient, we will know more by next week, so please hold your powder dry and we will keep you posted.
Noridian TPE results
Here is the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) checklist for Noridian. Later I will post information about their TPE results.
Awaiting More Info from CMS on HBOT Facility Fees
Practitioners have been urged to wait to submit comments to CMS until the situation is evaluated. I will keep you posted on the findings.
Without Warning – the Outpatient Prospective Payment Final Rule Cuts HBOT Facility Fees by 40%
What we need is for people to submit a comment, and to spread the word that hyperbaric oxygen therapy is in a crisis.
Have you watched the Noridian HBOT TPE Tutorial? It is 9 minutes.
Here is the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) checklist for Noridian. Later I will post information about their TPE results.
Palmetto & Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Covered Indications – Check out the Links to Failing Flaps
I laboriously pasted screen shots of the information on failing flaps. There are some fascinating things.
Palmetto & Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Covered Indications – Check out the Links to Osteomyelitis
One colleague in this jurisdiction failed an audit for not providing protein supplementation to a patient on protein restriction.
Guest Post by Dr. Helen Gelly: Medicare Documentation Requirements for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) – What Documentation is Required for the HBOT Followup Visit?
Once a patient has started HBOT, how often the follow up visits with the physician should be performed, and what should be documented in that visit?
Improvement in Erectile Dysfunction in Patients Undergoing Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment: A Prospective, Double-Blind, Double-Controlled Study
I should hasten to add that insurance will not cover the use of HBOT for ED, but it is not unethical to use HBOT “off-label” on a case by case basis.
Helping Patients with Long COVID using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
Inflammation is thought to be a main cause of the long-COVID issues, and HBOT has been well documented in other studies as being anti-inflammatory.
The AMA Adopts a Resolution Opposing the Unsafe Use of “Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy”
The American Medical Association (AMA) has just adopted a resolution opposing the unsafe use of so-called “mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy” in “mild hyperbaric facilities.” You can find more...
(Not) Choosing Wisely for Cellular and/or Tissue-Based Products (CTPs)
There will be a lot of whining about how vulnerable patients will get hurt by CMS proposed policy on CTPs – but no discussion about limiting the wasted use that caused CMS to act.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Improves Neurocognitive Functions and Symptoms of Post-COVID Condition – the Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial
This study, along with others published by the Israelis, likely represents the future of HBOT.
Sens. Cramer, Tuberville, Hoeven Introduce HBOT Access Act
U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, joined Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) in introducing the HBOT Access Act of 2021, a bill to make Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) an available resource for veterans suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who have exhausted other evidence-based treatment options.
Check Out My Article on the Hyperbaric Aware Site!
Check out my blog on the Ethics of Off-Label Use of HBOT on the Hyperbaric Aware campaign site!
Treating COVID Patients with HBOT, Part 2 – From the Author of COVID Diaries
For every deteriorating patient who declines the option of HBOT, there are two willing to try it.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and COVID – From the Author of COVID Diaries
Here’s another installment from the intrepid critical care/hyperbaric physician who started “COVID Diaries.” Now she is telling the evolving story of treating COVID patients with HBOT.
Treating COVID Patients with HBOT – From the Author of COVID Diaries
We are down to steroids, aspirin and anticoagulation. We might as well be practicing critical care in the 1950’s.
Hyperbaric Oxygen and COVID – From the Author of COVID Diaries
What we need with COVID is a way to deliver enough oxygen to avoid intubation. It’s possible we found that with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients Being Treated with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at the Southern Philippines Medical Center
The Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) has started using hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for COVID-19 patients in critical condition. Currently it is the only hospital in the Philippines using HBOT to avoid intubation in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Check out the news article here.
At Greenwich Hospital, Hyperbaric Medicine is being used for COVID-19
Check out this news article about HBOT being used to avoid intubation in severely ill COVID-19 patients at Grenwich Hospital in Connecticut.
New Study Indicates that HBOT May Have Anti-aging Effects
The Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research, Shamir (Assaf-Harofeh) Medical Center in Israel has just published a new study indicating that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has “senolytic” (anti-aging) effects. The study is reported ahead of print in the journal Aging.
House Passes Hoeven-Cosponsored Legislation Which Expands VA Research in HBOT
It passed! Thank you to all of you who engaged on this issue. Let’s hope this is a small step forward for the field of hyperbaric medicine and a big step forward for our veterans. --Caroline HOUSE...
Hyperbaric Medicine Advocate with the Scars to Prove it
Time is running out on these bills and veterans deserve HBOT today, not months or years from now.
Novitas and First Coast Retire Local Coverage Determinations for HBOT
Novitas and First Coast have retired their Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).
Evidence Review for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Treatment of COVID-19: Webinar Now Available
If you missed the live stream Webinar on the use of HBOT for COVID-19, you can watch the recorded session and receive CME credit. See the information from the UHMS.
UHMS and ACHM Position Statement: Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO2) for COVID-19 Patients
The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine (ACHM) have endorsed an updated position statement on the use of HBO2 for COVID-19 pneumonia.
HBOT for COVID-19 Respiratory Distress – See Article in UHM Ahead of Print
The small size of the study means that the results have to be interpreted with caution, but it shows that HBOT is safe for COVID-19 patients and suggests that a large, prospective trial is needed to assess its possible benefit.
HBOT Stretched on the RAC – Over a Paragraph Indentation?
There is no Government official with the power to change paragraph indentations…
The Physics of HBOT in COVID-19 Pneumonia (It’s Not Rocket Science)
There is nothing magic about a hyperbaric chamber for COVID-19 related hypoxia. It is simply a very efficient method of oxygen delivery.
Guest Blog by Julio R. Garcia: Life is Better in the Bubble — Helmet-Based Ventilation for COVID-19
Not every patient is a candidate for the NIPPV helmet, but it can have a positive effect on the outcome of a patient.
Why Would the FDA Block the Use of HBOT to Avoid Intubation in COVID-19 Pneumonia?
If any of you can explain why the FDA would take this stance, I’d like the insight.
Hyperbaric Medicine Fellowship Launches in the Philippines
This new fellowship program has come to fruition thanks to some visionary Filipino physician leaders.
How to Do the Right Thing Ethically Regarding HBOT for COVID-19 Pneumonia
As information about HBOT in COVID-19 pneumonia becomes available, it may demonstrate that the nominal risks of HBOT, even for relatively sick patients, are less than the risk of intubation with COVID-19 pneumonia.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and COVID-19: Useful Links
Here are some useful materials from the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) about HBOT for COVID-19.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia?
If we can overcome barriers so that patients are not exposed to the risk of HARM in order to give HBOT a try, then in places where it can be performed safely, it may be a treatment option – with a LOT of caveats.
Check Out the Standardized “Reason” Codes for Denial of Payment for HBOT
Check out the new “reason codes” for denial of HBOT.
Bad News on an HBOT Audit
Are YOU “too busy” to properly document new patients in your EHR?
Late Night Thoughts on HBOT Prior Authorization – About the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Daily Digest Bulletin
We don’t dispute that CMS needs a way to handle overuse and improper use. However, it doesn’t seem like this is the right way.
CMS Report on HBOT Prior Authorization
Check out this CMS summary regarding the HBOT prior authorization program! Caroline Fife, M.D.Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient outcomes through quality driven care. Please visit my blog at CarolineFifeMD.com and my Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/carolinefifemd/videos carolinefife.wpengine.com
What’s the Difference Between Hyperbaric Registries?
We need all the data we can get in the fields of wound care and hyperbaric medicine.
HBOT and Brain Injury – Guest Blog by Dick Clarke
Guest blog post by Dick Clarke of National Baromedical Services On August 1 of this year, a bill entitled the “North Carolina Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder...
He flexed his arms across his chest, eyes deviated to the right, and had a generalized seizure.” Other than that, what can go wrong with hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
Have you ever seen an oxygen toxicity seizure?
Guest Post by Dr. Helen Gelly: Noridian starts post payment Medical review of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy- is HBOT what the doctor ordered?
Noridian has started sending out letters to notify hospitals of post-payment review of outpatient HBOT charged records from 2018 (G0277). See below for the pitfalls of writing the usual HBOT note....
Finally Some GOOD NEWS!!!! CMS Recognizes Hyperbaric Medicine with a New Physician Specialty Code
Cue the fireworks.
The OIG Just Says NO to HBO
Y’all we are going to need some mops for this mess.
Staying Updated on the Requirements for HBOT Documentation
74% of the time, when HBOT was billed, the doctor was not present.
Guest Post by Dr. Helen Gelly: Big (Bad) News for HBOT Providers in the WPS J5 Jurisdiction
Extrapolated to the entire J5 region, the OIG estimated that WPS J5 providers were overpaid by $42.4 million during the audit period 2013-2014.
HBOT and Brain Injury – What Should You Do?
It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since I was president of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS). I thought my biggest challenge would be trying develop an approach to off-label...
Top Ten Reasons That the Use of HBOT is Down 50% Nationally (and What You Need to Do)
HBOT utilization is down 50% across the USA. Here are 10 reasons why… and why it’s going to decrease further.
A Lifeboat for Hyperbaric Medicine
Is the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Registry (HBOTR) a lifeboat for the field of hyperbaric medicine?
Explaining The Math for Hyperbaric Oxygen
The math for hyperbaric oxygen can be confusing. Let’s break it down once and for all.
HBOT in the News: How Quality Measures Can Address Criticisms
I've attached a link to a Kaiser Health News article that came out today (June 28) about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) that is less than flattering, and another in the Washington Post printed...
Important Message from UHMS Executive Director about Prior-Authorization and HBOT
Attention Hyperbaric Medicine Colleagues, especially those in New Jersey, Michigan and Illinois! Please read the important note below from UHMS Executive Director, John Peters. Dear Hyperbaric...
Pre-payment review of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Expands to more States
ALERT! “Targeted” Pre-payment review of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to occur in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska The Medicare Administrative Carrier “WPS” has announced a Targeted Medical Review...
Predicting Ideal Wounds for HBOT
The Hyperbaric oxygen therapy prior authorization project has been in effect a little more than a year and CMS is in the process of reviewing its impact to prepare an interim report. As the Medicare...
HBOT Registry Helps Preserve Physician Supervision Fees
An important paper has been released by the U.S. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Registry (HBOTR) detailing its work in Medicare reimbursement issues. “Rapid analysis of hyperbaric oxygen therapy registry...
