WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-ND) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in reintroducing the HBOT Access Act 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. Senator Tuberville previously introduced this legislation in the 117th Congress.
Senator Tuberville spoke about the need to expand HBOT for veterans yesterday in a U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) hearing and received thunderous applause from veterans in the room.
“Our veterans face many battles from their time in war—including those that we can’t see,” said Senator Tuberville. “We must do more to support them as they face these silent struggles, especially when it comes to mental health. For veterans that have exhausted other options, access to HBOT treatment could make all the difference in them living to see another day. We have nothing to lose, but we do have lives to save. I appreciate Senators Hoeven and Cramer joining me to introduce this critical piece of legislation, and will continue fighting for America’s veterans.”
The HBOT Access Act is endorsed by the American Legion.
BACKGROUND
Senator Tuberville represents Alabama’s more than 400,000 veterans on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and hasworked to make targeted, yet meaningful changes to how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) delivers care and benefits for veterans. He has introduced several pieces of legislation that have been signed into law, including the Supporting Families of the Fallen Act, Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, and legislation to streamline Post-9/11 benefits for service members and their dependents.
The HBOT Access Act would require the VA to provide HBOT as a treatment option to any veteran suffering from TBI or PTSD and who has tried no fewer than two evidence-based treatment options. This legislation builds on the Right to Try Actsigned into law by President Trump. Currently, HBOT is an FDA-approved treatment option for 14 different illnesses, but is not approved for use by the VA for traumatic brain injuries, although evidence of beneficial HBOT treatment is documented within the veterans’ community.
MORE:
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Praise Mounts for Tuberville’s HBOT Access Act
Tuberville Leads Effort to Provide Veterans Greater Access to Treatment, Introduces HBOT Access Act
Tuberville Introduces Legislation to Ensure Community Care Access for Veterans
Tuberville, Moran Introduce Legislation to Improve Access to Care for Veterans
Senate Passes Tuberville Legislation to Restore Benefits to Defrauded Veterans
House Passes Tuberville Legislation to Restore Benefits to Defrauded Veterans
Tuberville Continues Fight to Protect Veterans’ Access to Community Care
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
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