LifeGas, the U.S. medical gases business of The Linde Group, has received accreditation as a home oxygen subcontractor. The accreditation enables LifeGas to instruct patients on the safe and effective use of the oxygen and equipment it delivers.

LifeGas received the Award of Accreditation from the Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation (HQAA). The three-year accreditation award recognizes that LifeGas has completed a comprehensive application focusing on patient care, financial stability and a commitment to quality operational practices.

“LifeGas believes the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act, which sets guidelines for the use of subcontractors, seeks to ensure that patients get high quality products and services from accredited subcontractors, so that everyone who enters the patient’s home is following the same supplier standards,” said Anthony Eafrati, homecare market manager, LifeGas.

 “The competitive bidding implementation contractor has made it clear that any subcontractor who provides equipment setup and patient instruction on behalf of a competitive bid contract winner must be accredited,” said Jeffrey S. Baird, a lawyer with Brown and Fortunato, which specializes in healthcare regulatory and accreditation issues. “Suppliers that use non-accredited subcontractors to provide these services are putting their participation in the competitive bidding program at risk.  The Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also may attempt to impose these same restrictions on subcontract arrangements outside of competitive bidding.”