New Bill Requires VA to Offer Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Veterans with TBI or PTSD

The HBOT Access Act of 2025 is looking to add a specific treatment option to the VA's toolkit. This proposed legislation would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for veterans diagnosed with either traumatic brain injury (TBI) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The core idea, as stated in the bill's findings (Sec. 2), is to tackle the high rate of veteran suicide by offering alternatives to prescription drugs or invasive procedures.

Diving into the Details: What is HBOT?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized room or chamber. Think of it like giving your body's tissues a super-dose of oxygen to potentially help heal. The bill itself refers to HBOT as a "proven treatment" for TBI and PTSD symptoms (Sec. 2). It's worth noting, though, that while HBOT is established for conditions like decompression sickness ('the bends') or certain non-healing wounds, its effectiveness specifically for TBI and PTSD is still a topic of discussion and ongoing research within the broader medical community.

Who Qualifies and What's the Catch?

Access isn't automatic. According to Section 3, a veteran needs to meet two key criteria:

1. A diagnosis of TBI or PTSD.
2. They must have already tried at least two other "evidence-based treatment options" for their condition first.

This prerequisite is important. It positions HBOT as a later-stage option, not a first line of defense. What counts as an "evidence-based treatment" isn't defined in this short bill, which could lead to questions about how consistently this requirement is applied across different VA facilities. For a veteran navigating treatment options, this means HBOT only becomes available after they've explored and potentially found insufficient relief from more standard therapies recommended by the VA.

Real-World Ripples: What Could This Mean?

If passed, this bill directly mandates the VA healthcare system to incorporate and fund HBOT for eligible veterans. For veterans who haven't found success with other treatments, this could open a door to a new potential therapy avenue. The goal cited is reducing reliance on medications, particularly opioids, and providing less invasive options.

However, there are practical points to consider. Expanding access means the VA would need the infrastructure, trained staff, and budget to provide HBOT, potentially increasing costs. Furthermore, the requirement to try two other treatments first could act as a gatekeeper – ensuring HBOT isn't used prematurely, but potentially delaying access for veterans eager to try it. The ultimate impact hinges on how effectively the VA implements the program and, crucially, how beneficial HBOT proves to be for this specific group of veterans in wider practice.