Breathing by Permission [View all]

[madamesilverspurs]

My portable oxygen concentrator gave up the ghost a few weeks ago. Just quit working altogether. Provider picked it up and left me with a supply of tanks, after giving me a rather stern lecture about new Medicare rules that limit how many tanks I can have on hand. Anyway, today I called and asked if there's an ETA for the portable machine, and he said the factory had determined that the innards were completely fried. So, I'm on the list to get a new one "as soon as one becomes available."

Being the curious type, I had to ask what that meant, and was more than a little amazed when he told me that demand is far outpacing supply; they're making them as fast as they can, but there's a huge waiting list. Then he told me that it could be as long as six months! I commented that the delay could put a crimp in any travel plans (conventional oxygen tanks are not allowed on planes), and he told me that I could always rent a machine -- but he also made it clear that Medicare would NOT cover the rental, and fees for that go $75-250/week.

Meanwhile, I've presently got a mixed supply of tanks, different sizes ranging from wine-bottle size to small watermelon size. And they took my two larger tanks that I'd kept in reserve in case of a power outage; I'll get them back only when I get the new machine. Kinda hard to keep up with the rule changes. It's a common problem; most of the people in my pulmonary rehab group are having similar experiences. What's harder is learning to accept that the provision of my medical needs is now being determined by accountants instead of medical professionals.

Are we greater, yet?



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