About IHMA
The IHMA was established as a 501(c) 4 non-profit association for medical professionals, parents, and others who wish to promote the use of hyperbaric medicine for all acute and chronic treatments of medical conditions including brain injury. We run no chambers, own no clinics, have no for-profit financial interest and we are not owned or operated by any chamber manufacturer.
Our corporate officers and board members are all people known to the hyperbaric community as persons who have sacrificed to get this treatment to children and adults. Our mission is to foster universal access to hyperbaric medical treatment for every condition it helps, especially brain injury. Our secondary mission is to make sure the government truly understands how much this therapy will save in lives and money and improve quality of life for millions. Our goal is to make sure hyperbaric medicine is fully reimbursed by all government and private insurance carriers.
As an example of what we have done already, the IHMA made formal request in Nov. 2001 for CMS officials to add diabetic foot wounds to the list of Medicare reimbursable HBOT diagnoses. CMS responded with the first new coverage for a hyperbaric oxygen treatment in over 18 years. This determination is now in force since April 1, 2003. IHMA provided 129 researched articles to demonstrate that hyperbaric treatment prevents 75% of all amputations. To treat these patients new clinics are opening around the nation to providing treatment for the large diabetic population. This makes hyperbaric chambers more accessible to every American even in rural areas.
After over a year of planning, we sponsored the first-ever Congressional hearing on May 6, 2004, involving hyperbaric medicine. At this hearing we have announced the first University-supervised treatment protocol using hyperbaric oxygen and mercury detoxification for autism. This protocol has been established by two of the top researchers in their fields and both have been nominated for the NIH Director's "Pioneer" award. This is the first of many such protocols that will make standardized and proven neurological treatment accessible to patients across the nation and around the world.
With your help - the best is yet to come.
