The AARC has kicked off its 2019 Virtual Lobby Campaign, which runs through April 10. Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill is scheduled for April 9.

The AARC is asking House members to co-sponsor the Better Respiration Through Expanding Access to Tele-Health Act (the BREATHE Act) when introduced and Senators to support introduction of a companion bill.

"This legislation is a three-year pilot that allows respiratory therapists to furnish disease management services, such as self-management education and training, demonstration/evaluation of proper inhaler techniques, smoking cessation and remote patient monitoring to Medicare beneficiaries with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)," the AARC says. "Its purpose is to demonstrate the value RTs bring to the health care system and their patients through improved health outcomes and lower costs that can support the addition of respiratory therapists to the Medicare statute in the future."

The AARC is asking respiratory therapists and other interested parties to take action by contacting their Congressional representatives. These forms will provide guidance.

More information and suggestions for calling and sharing information on social media can be found on the AARC website.