Diagnosed with Hypoxia, Want to Buy Oxygen Concentrator

I recently did a new titration study, and I’ve been on BIPAP for 5 years. I use the machine religiously every night. The test showed that my O2 level was dropping to 84 at night, and only 93 during the day. so my doctor is adding an oxygen concentrator to my BIPAP Machine. I’m looking to buy it instead of paying the insurance monthly fees, and then bill9ng my insurance an outrageous amount.

Anyone else have any O2 machine experience? Where’s the best place to buy one? And what’s the best model?

I found this which appears to have good reviews: https://www.directhomemedical.com/everf ... onics.html

I'd be worried about the no return policy due to covid -19. That being the case, going through your insurance might offer some protection.

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 17, 2020 4:18 pm

I’m looking to buy it instead of paying the insurance monthly fees, and then bill9ng my insurance an outrageous amount.

Before you do anything (!), talk to your insurance company about your benefits and your part of the cost. It may not be what you are thinking. DMEs bill a ridiculously high amount to insurance companies. But, the insurance company has contracts with DMEs and only pay a much lower amount.

Before you call your insurance company, make sure to have handy a list of "OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS & SUPPLIES INSURANCE (HCPCS) CODES." This list can be found here - https://www.directhomemedical.com/direc ... -page.html

BTW, do you trust your medical team about supplemental oxygen being an appropriate recommendation?

Unless you know the root cause of your respiratory issue, you might also get a covid test if you haven't already... apoxia is a symptom, and it is sometimes the only symptom.

I highly recommend the Everflo Q; it is quieter, smaller, and lighter than the competitors. Last December I picked up a new Everflo Q from US Oxygen Sales for $595 shipping included. They make you sign up for email to get prices which is obnoxious, but their service & delivery were fast and efficient. Last year when I was looking they was the cheapest I could find, but if I were you I would shop around to find the best price.

Definitely check on your insurance benefits. Even though insurance covered oxygen for my son, mother, and sister-in-law; for all 3 of them buying out of pocket made more financial sense than paying the high amount insurance allowed the DME to bill for renting the concentrators.

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 17, 2020 4:18 pm

I recently did a new titration study, and I’ve been on BIPAP for 5 years. I use the machine religiously every night. The test showed that my O2 level was dropping to 84 at night, and only 93 during the day. so my doctor is adding an oxygen concentrator to my BIPAP Machine. I’m looking to buy it instead of paying the insurance monthly fees, and then bill9ng my insurance an outrageous amount.

Anyone else have any O2 machine experience? Where’s the best place to buy one? And what’s the best model?

I found this which appears to have good reviews: https://www.directhomemedical.com/everf ... onics.html

I got both of my brother's off craigslist. One turned out to be a brand new Invacare Perfecto 2 with zero hours, still in the box (from a DME that was getting rid of overstock, it seems) and the other was a fairly high hour Respironics Everflo that had been refurbished not long before (and only cost me $100).

Do get one that has the built in oxygen quality monitor, so that you can be confident that the sieve beds are working and it's actually filtering out the nitrogen from the air. (that's how they work, the zeolite absorbs nitrogen then the rest of the gasses get pumped through the hose, mostly oxygen, with the trace gasses that are in the air around you, then the nitrogen vents, while the other bed(s) fills, back and forth

Did they discover WHY you desaturate at night? And why you have lower than normal (not dangerous, just lower than normal) oxygen levels during the day?

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 17, 2020 4:45 pm

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 17, 2020 4:18 pm

I’m looking to buy it instead of paying the insurance monthly fees, and then billing my insurance an outrageous amount.

Before you do anything (!), talk to your insurance company about your benefits and your part of the cost. It may not be what you are thinking. DMEs bill a ridiculously high amount to insurance companies. But, the insurance company has contracts with DMEs and only pay a much lower amount.

Before you call your insurance company, make sure to have handy a list of "OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS & SUPPLIES INSURANCE (HCPCS) CODES." This list can be found here - https://www.directhomemedical.com/direc ... -page.html

BTW, do you trust your medical team about supplemental oxygen being an appropriate recommendation?

Thank you. Yes, I do trust him (medical team), he's been amazing. I tried a concentrator a few years ago even though at that time I had not been diagnosed needing it. It didn't feel any better using it, and since insurance was billing me $20/month ($240/yr), and then billing my insurance an outrageous amount as you say, that led me to the decision to buy it.

rcobourn wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 17, 2020 4:57 pm

Unless you know the root cause of your respiratory issue, you might also get a covid test if you haven't already... apoxia is a symptom, and it is sometimes the only symptom.

Good thought, but I don't feel sick, and I give blood every other month and they always test it. The results show I don't have the antibodies so I know I'm not a carrier.

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:57 pm

I tried a concentrator a few years ago even though at that time I had not been diagnosed needing it. It didn't feel any better using it

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:59 pm

I don't feel sick

What IS the root cause of your hypoxia?

Low blood-ox levels at night could just mean your CPAP therapy has not been optimized.

raisedfist wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 6:54 am

Did they discover WHY you desaturate at night? And why you have lower than normal (not dangerous, just lower than normal) oxygen levels during the day?

Great question! What led up to this is, I had just finished push mowing our lawn, and then I got the hedge trimmers out and was running them. Next thing you know, I had the strangest feeling I've never had before, that I was breathing deep but not feeling like any oxygen was coming in. So I went to the garage, set the hedge trimmer down and leaned on the trash bin trying to catch my breath. I went inside and sat on the couch, and my wife gave me 3 baby aspirin. We called my primary care physician, and he said I should go ahead and go to the emergency room to be safe.

I did, and they did a blood draw and found my troponin level was 26. So they sent me to a larger hospital for overnight testing, which they did and my levels hovered 26-27 overnight, and then an older cardoliogist came in and said "You're not having a heart attack, if you were, your troponin levels would be in the hundreds." Another doctor came in, and she asked 'When was your last titration study?" I said about 5 years ago (and my O2 levels for that first study showed it dropped to 79 overnight).

So I ended up having to do a nuclear stress test and a few other tests, and they found some heart related issues attributed to high blood pressure (i'm on 3 medications for that). Then I had the titration study and we found the issue of oxygen dropping overnight to 84.

I ended up having a follow-up this week with my cardiologist, and he has scheduled the following to try to get to the root cause:

• Pulmonary function testing (PFT) with ABG
  Blood gas test (Arterial Blood Gas)
  
  Metabolic - V02 Max test
  Pulmonary Stress Test

I'm hopeful he will be able to get to the bottom of it.

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 5:06 pm

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:57 pm

I tried a concentrator a few years ago even though at that time I had not been diagnosed needing it. It didn't feel any better using it

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:59 pm

I don't feel sick

What IS the root cause of your hypoxia?

Low blood-ox levels at night could just mean your CPAP therapy has not been optimized.

I use a BIPAP machine, religously. Over time he adjusted until it only shows less than 1 event per hour. So from that perspective, it has been optimized. So much so, that insurance was not agreeing to do the titration study, until he had a peer to peer call with them.

colomom wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 17, 2020 8:16 pm

I highly recommend the Everflo Q; it is quieter, smaller, and lighter than the competitors. Last December I picked up a new Everflo Q from US Oxygen Sales for $595 shipping included. They make you sign up for email to get prices which is obnoxious, but their service & delivery were fast and efficient. Last year when I was looking they was the cheapest I could find, but if I were you I would shop around to find the best price.

Definitely check on your insurance benefits. Even though insurance covered oxygen for my son, mother, and sister-in-law; for all 3 of them buying out of pocket made more financial sense than paying the high amount insurance allowed the DME to bill for renting the concentrators.

Really glad to hear you like the Everlo Q, I just bought that model but the one with OPI Model 1020001 (EverFlo Concentrator with OPI), Oxygen Percentage Indicator.

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 5:09 pm

Over time he adjusted until it only shows less than 1 event per hour. So from that perspective, it has been optimized.

Among experienced members, it is de rigeur to optimize our own therapy. The sleep lab only has one night to do the titration. You may sleep very differently in the sleep lab as compared to your own bed at home. Most can titrate their own therapy better at home over several nights. The data tool of choice is OSCAR. You can find out about it in a thread at the top of the index page.

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 5:07 pm

I ended up having a follow-up this week with my cardiologist, and he has scheduled the following to try to get to the root cause:

Good luck with that. I hope they find something that is easily remedied.

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:47 am

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 5:09 pm

Over time he adjusted until it only shows less than 1 event per hour. So from that perspective, it has been optimized.

Among experienced members, it is de rigeur to optimize our own therapy. The sleep lab only has one night to do the titration. You may sleep very differently in the sleep lab as compared to your own bed at home. Most can titrate their own therapy better at home over several nights. The data tool of choice is OSCAR. You can find out about it in a thread at the top of the index page.

SW 2.0 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 18, 2020 5:07 pm

I ended up having a follow-up this week with my cardiologist, and he has scheduled the following to try to get to the root cause:

Good luck with that. I hope they find something that is easily remedied.

Thank you.