Kansas fire chiefs request Medicaid coverage for $4 oxygen firebreaks after fatal home-oxygen fires

Chad Russell, fire chief of Andover and president of the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs, told the Committee on Social Services Budget that home medical oxygen has been linked to multiple fatal residential fires since 2018 and presented a low-cost prevention measure: an inline oxygen firebreak device that can stop the flow of oxygen if tubing ignites.

"There is a device called an oxygen fire break...when there is an ignition and the oxygen catches fire, or the tubing catches on fire with the oxygen, the oxygen firebreak stops the flow of oxygen immediately," Russell said. He reported that one burn center, Via Christi St. Francis, had about $2.9 million in costs treating home-oxygen burn patients since 2018 and that the devices cost roughly $4 each. Russell asked the committee to appropriate $40,000 SGF to cover firebreaks for Medicaid beneficiaries who use home oxygen.

Supporters framed the request as a small investment that could prevent fatalities, reduce injuries to patients and first responders, and lower Medicaid and emergency care costs. Russell cited examples from other states; Iowa and North Dakota were said to have included the device in Medicaid reimbursement. Committee members asked for follow-up information about clinical data, procurement, and how many Medicaid beneficiaries use home oxygen.

No formal votes were taken at the hearing; the request will be considered alongside other supplemental funding items.