Support Georgia Society for Respiratory Care Today
Compact Licensure
AARC is thrilled to announce that 2025 marks the launch of state advocacy efforts for the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact (RCIC). This groundbreaking initiative, developed in collaboration with the Council of State Governments and the Department of Defense, aims to streamline licensure for respiratory therapists across participating states, enhancing patient care and workforce mobility.
Georgia is working on this!
Compact licensure allows respiratory therapists (RTs) to practice across state lines without needing to obtain individual licenses for each state, as long as those states are part of the licensure compact. Congrats to our fellow affiliates Washington and Alabama that now have compact licensure in their states!
Update on SOAR Act
Help Us Advance the SOAR Act!
We are excited to share that the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act has been officially reintroduced in the 119th Congress! We need your help!
Supplemental oxygen is a lifeline for more than 1.5 million Americans living with advanced lung and heart diseases, including COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, and those awaiting lung transplants. Yet far too many face challenges in accessing the right type and amount of oxygen due to outdated Medicare policies and a lack of access to respiratory therapists.
What the SOAR Act Will Do
- Make oxygen access patient-centered, not one-size-fits-all.
- Replace the term “home oxygen” with “supplemental oxygen” to support life outside the home.
- Create a Patients’ Bill of Rights to ensure care is tailored to individual needs.
- Establish a statutory service element, giving patients access to respiratory therapists.
- Ensure access to liquid oxygen, a portable and essential form of therapy for many.
- Streamline documentation to reduce burdens on providers while maintaining program integrity.
Together, we can improve access to life-saving oxygen therapy and empower people with serious lung and heart conditions to live healthier, more independent lives.
Thank you for your continued advocacy and support!
Be an Advocate
Without action, many patients are forced to remain homebound or hospitalized, simply because they cannot get the equipment—especially liquid oxygen—that allows them to live independently and safely.