HBOT Access Act of 2025 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who have already tried at least two evidence-based treatments for their condition. The bill adds a new provision, Sec. 1710F, to Title 38, creating a VA authority to provide HBOT to eligible veterans. The act emphasizes HBOT as an alternative or adjunctive treatment that could address symptoms of TBI and PTSD, with the stated aim of reducing suicide risk among veterans. The bill does not specify funding or implementation details within its text, and it relies on VA to determine what counts as “evidence-based treatment” and to administer HBOT accordingly. In summary, if enacted, the VA would be required to offer HBOT to qualifying veterans after they have engaged in two evidence-based treatments, expanding VA treatment options beyond drugs and invasive procedures. The exact availability, access, and cost implications would depend on VA rulemaking and funding.
Key Points
- 1What HBOT is: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing concentrated oxygen in a pressurized chamber to enhance oxygen delivery to body tissues; the bill treats HBOT as a treatment for symptoms of TBI and PTSD.
- 2Eligibility criteria: A veteran must have a covered condition (TBI or PTSD) and must have used at least two evidence-based treatment options for that condition before HBOT can be furnished.
- 3New VA authority: The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is directed to furnish HBOT to eligible veterans, establishing a formal entitlement within VA healthcare, subject to VA regulations and resources.
- 4Legislative focus and findings: The bill’s findings stress veteran suicide risk and advocate for non-drug, noninvasive treatment options, positioning HBOT as a proven and accessible option for those at high risk of self-harm.
- 5Administrative change: The bill adds a new Sec. 1710F to the U.S. Code and updates the table of sections, signaling an administrative codification of the new HBOT program within VA health services.