“In 2002, there were 673,000 hospitalizations for COPD with an average length of stay of 5.2 days. A government study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and other multiple clinical studies conclude that once a patient goes on home oxygen therapy, he or she has 10 fewer days in the hospital per year, saving $46,000 per year in hospital costs alone.”

— Part of a statement by the American Association for Homecare concerning a New York Times report charging government overpayment for oxygen and oxygen services,” Oxygen providers decry Times report on Medicare payments,” pp. 3.