Click this link to read a post I like on the clusterheadaches.com message board...

LeLimey

Ex Member

ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!!
May 4^th, 2010 at 4:29pm

This could just be the most important thing any of us ever do for people with CH.

Hello, we have been instructed to initiate a ACTION REQUIRED FOR CMS REIMBURSEMENT COVERAGE FOR CLUSTER HEADACHE PATIENTS.

A Formal Request for a National Coverage Assessment at CMS (Medicare) was filed on 4/9/2010 by Dr. Fred Sheftell, MD, President, American Headache Society and Dr. Robert C. Griggs, MD, FAAN, President, American Academy of Neurology.

The goal of this National Coverage Assessment request is to overturn the present non-coverage determination on oxygen therapy for Medicare beneficiaries who suffer from cluster headaches. Comments from Neurologists who treat Cluster Headache sufferers as well as the Cluster Headache sufferers themselves who use high flow oxygen therapy have a vested interest in this coverage.

This formal request is in part due to the latest evidence of High Flow Oxygen for the treatment of Cluster Headache. You can find this summary article from Neurology Now. This article provides additional perspectives from some of the Nation's top neurologists specializing in the treatment of the acute and chronic Cluster Headache. They list oxygen therapy as the first intervention of choice for the Cluster Headache due to its safety and effectiveness in aborting the most severe pain known to the medical profession.

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Should you agree with thousands of oxygen prescribers and users of High Flow Oxygen for the treatment of Cluster Headache please find the link below to the CMS page announcing the NCA for Home Use of Oxygen to Treat Cluster Headache (CAG-00296R). The comment period runs from 4/9/2010 to 5/9/2010. It is urgent to act today before the comment period is closed.

Go to this link now for comment:
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fightguy CH.com Junior Offline Posts: 37 Mesa, Arizona Gender:	Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!! Reply #1 - May 4^th, 2010 at 9:07pm What are we supposed to write? Just that we encourage the use of O2 for CH?
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LeLimey

Ex Member

Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!!
Reply #2 - May 4^th, 2010 at 9:20pm

Here are two examples of posts..

Quote:

Oxygen at 15 LPM is a very effective treatment for Cluster Headaches. It acts faster than triptans for many sufferers and without the heart racing associated with triptans for many.

Oxygen is an effective abortive for people who cannot use triptans owing to heart attacks or other conditions that preclude the use of triptans.

Oxygen is also an effective and safe treatment for children suffering from Cluster Headaches who are too young to be prescribed triptans.

Quote:

"I urge Medicare to cover home oxygen therapy for cluster headache sufferers, especially in lieu of the study published in the December 9th edition of the JAMA. Providers and patients have long known the benefit of using home oxygen to abort cluster headaches safely and effectively, but sadly, many cluster patients cannot receive home oxygen due to current restrictions by CMS.
It needs to be regarded as the standard of care for first line intervention during an attack."

Their posting policy is strict. You can't post anything personal so you need to make everything third party. Using the above as a reference might help you with what to write - but do write! It's so important for all of us

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donna mae CH.com Junior Offline I Love CH.com! Posts: 67 Bolingbrook, Il Gender:	Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!! Reply #3 - May 4^th, 2010 at 10:05pm thanks for the thread! DONE!!!! DONNA MAE
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Bob P CH.com Hall of Famer Offline Shut up Bob! Posts: 4573 Clio,California Gender:	Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!! Reply #4 - May 5^th, 2010 at 7:14am Done
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Not4Hire CH.com Alumnus Offline ...PF since Oct.'02, thanks to ClusterBusters... Posts: 1248 Austin\|USA\|Texas Gender:	Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!! Reply #5 - May 5^th, 2010 at 9:42am done!
Back to top	Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or Mantra: This will NOT kill me...This will not KILL me...This will not kill ME.. IP Logged

seasonalboomer CH.com Hall of Famer Offline CH messes with my isness Posts: 2517 Charlotte, NC Gender:	Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!! Reply #6 - May 5^th, 2010 at 9:04pm done
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Guiseppi CH.com Moderator CH.com Alumnus Offline San Diego to Florida 05-16-2011 Posts: 12063 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA USA Gender:	Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!! Reply #7 - May 5^th, 2010 at 9:50pm The whole Hippus Act 3rd party thing made it interesting....but done! Joe
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gore2424 CH.com Alumnus Offline What the hamsalad was that ?¿? Posts: 412 Gender:	Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!! Reply #8 - May 5^th, 2010 at 9:56pm I'm such an IDIOT I did it and didnt read it just glanced and gave out too much info I believe. I am sorry if this didnt help the cause. Terry
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George CH.com Moderator CH.com Alumnus Offline Black-Billed Magpie Posts: 8126 Boise, Idaho USA Gender:	Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!! Reply #9 - May 6^th, 2010 at 1:09am Done.
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OneEyeBlind CH.com Hall of Famer Offline Yea, I can do this Posts: 633 x0\|Marysville\|USA\|\|0\|0\|PA,Pennsylvania	Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!! Reply #10 - May 6^th, 2010 at 9:36am done
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catlind

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Surf's Up!

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Weaverville NC
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Re: ALL CH'ers NEED TO READ AND SIGN.. URGENT!!
Reply #11 - May 6^th, 2010 at 10:05am

I'd like to mention a side note to this discussion - while it focuses on Medicare/Medicaid coverage, I would ask that everyone please remember that Tricare, the military health care coverage, is based on Medicare.

If Medicare refuses coverage, so will Tricare, and there are a high number of active duty, retirees and veterans in our midst, as well as their family members. They would all lose their home oxygen coverage.

Our service men and women and their families deserve better.

Cat

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