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eyes_afire
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Oxygen question
« on: Dec 7th, 2003, 12:59pm » |
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I'm trying to plan financially for the coming year and I'm hoping all my friends here can help me make an informed decision. I guess, basically I don't know if my oxygen is a ripoff or a bargain.
How much does your oxygen cost and what kind of setup do you have?
I'm very lucky my medical (not prescription) insurance covers oxygen because the monthly charge is $257. I only pay 10%. This means my YEARLY out-of-pocket expense for oxygen is about $309. I know, it sounds a bit expensive, but consider my setup:
1 3455 L tank
4 680 L tanks
2 regulators
1 tank cart for portability
Unlimited refills and delivery service.
So, I guess basically I pay $309 and get unlimited stationary and portable oxygen for a year. Is that a ripoff or a bargain?
I guess one of the reasons I'm asking is because my oxygen usage has gone WAY down (praise Verapamil)... basically I haven't needed to use it as long as I stay on verapamil. Bad thing is that I can't get Imitrex injections, so Oxygen and the painfully-slow Imitrex tablets are my primary abortives.
(Personally, I think the insurance company is the one getting screwed here, but.... ssshhhhhh).
--- Steve
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Prense
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #1 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 1:11pm » |
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My insurance covers all of my O2 and accessories...
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Ree
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #2 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 2:05pm » |
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We payed about 30 bucks all tolled but Dave is eposodic so we needed it for 5 months or so... insurance covered the rest of the cost... ? for a year... maybe that isnt so bad... love to you feel bett-ah!!! ree
Eyes BstnEagles... just said that Zomig nasal spray is finally on the market........ try that I'll bet its YOUR savior... call your doc and get samples.......we're gonna! ree
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| « Last Edit: Dec 7th, 2003, 2:06pm by Ree » |
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OneEyeBlind
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #3 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 2:22pm » |
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I don't keep great records, and I really didn't care what I had to pay ........ but as I remember it, I paid between 30 & 40 a month. It's been awhile and I was just glad to get the stuff !!!!!!!!! The funny thing was, when I turned in my tanks (thank you God the cycle was over) Apria sent me a refund for about 150.00. I figure I made out in the deal ! I had the O2 for about 7 months. Haven't needed it since.
What you are paying sound like a good deal to me. Oh, and yes, my BC/BS covered the O2, not my perscription plan.
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jonny
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Cant really offer an opinion here cause all I deal with is welding 02.
...........................jonny
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Little Deb
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #5 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 3:07pm » |
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My tank just got delivered. The bill is $146.00 a month. Hope I don't have to pay anything. I am going to call Monday and see if they will bring me a portable set up as well. Don't know when I will actually need it. Episodic.
LD
PS I got samples of Zomig nasal spray also this week. And another Imitrx kit sample and Rx. Why don't you get Imitrex injects???????????????
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Rick_K
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #6 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 3:14pm » |
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I use E tanks and they cost $20 each but after insurance they cost me $4.
During the worst of my last cycle I was using a tank a day. Still have 4 tanks sitting here, not ready yet to give them up.
Rick
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episodic since 1969........damn
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Little Deb
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #7 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 3:27pm » |
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I don't know what an E tank is??
I think mine has about 3400 in it??
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Rick_K
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #8 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 3:33pm » |
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The E tank has 679 liters. At least that what it says on the label.
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| « Last Edit: Dec 7th, 2003, 3:34pm by Rick_K » |
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Little Deb
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #9 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 3:42pm » |
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I think mine is an "M" tank. Has 3453 liters. It's big.
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don
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It will seem like a hell of a bargain when your eye is about to blow out of your cranium.
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Little Deb
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #11 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 4:05pm » |
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My neuro said you have to use the O2 for the full 15 min. even if you feel better after 5 min. to avoid the rebound HA. All you O2 users, is that true???
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jonny
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on Dec 7th, 2003, 4:05pm, Little Deb wrote:| My neuro said you have to use the O2 for the full 15 min. even if you feel better after 5 min. to avoid the rebound HA. All you O2 users, is that true??? |
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You have a good Doc, Deb.......its true, you need to stay on it to make sure the fucker is gone or he will come back.
..................................jonny
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eyes_afire
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #13 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 6:16pm » |
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Deb,
The main reason I don't get injections is because they are totally excluded from the insurance contract between my employer and insurance company. My employer does not want to pay to have them on the policy. My employer and the insurance company have an 'arrangement'. For now, I'm not interested in the injections because: I'm doing fine on verapamil and O2, I hate the way imitrex makes me feel, and I don't wanna go down that road if I don't have to. My current abortive strategy is to take imitrex tablet, grab an ice cube to put on my eye, and get on the oxygen (yup, for at least 15 minutes).
Ree,
Oh goody, zomig sprays. If it just went to market, it probably means that my employer and insurance haven't had a chance to exclude it from the insurance contract.
Quote:| It will seem like a hell of a bargain when your eye is about to blow out of your cranium. |
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LOL, this is very true. It's just that now since I recently went to the neuro, and have the written prescription in hand, it would be easiest to change now. Of course I always hate to pay for something that I'm not currently using.... but I oughtta know better.
As the wise Yoshimitsu says: "Overconfidence is the grrreatest enemy" (awright, so I don't have a life, LOL).
--- Steve
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Ann
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #14 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 7:30pm » |
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For what it's worth, here in Canada, I pay
46.96$ a month for 2 E tanks and one regulator. It costs me 17 bucks a refill and free home delivery. Insurance is suppose to pay 80% although I have yet to send in the bill. Bottom line..it's cheap as hell compared to imitrex injections!
hope that helps
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Ann
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Not4Hire
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #15 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 8:18pm » |
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...ok then, i cut and pasted this from the o2 button (don't those people have a LIFE?) --and converted cubic feet to liters for those who live in the Third World...heh....
Re: The price of oxygen (please help)
« Reply #2 on: Nov 29th, 2002, 9:33am
hey Mel.....good to see you're looking into o2 treatment....it's hard to answer your question, because use is variable. Most people need 10-12-15 liters per minute to be effective and the oxygen concentrators can't go over 8LPM...and that's at about 95% o2....the tanks deliver 100% and come in all sizes from
-"M" at 6 cu.ft.--170 liters--which is the kind you can carry around ...through
-"C" @ 8.7 cu.ft.--246 liters
-"R" @ 20 cu.ft.--566 liters
-"D" @ 18 cu.ft.--510 liters
-"E" @ 22.5 cu.ft.--637 liters (the type most people have and is 30" tall x 4" Diam. --weighs about 10 lbs. (this one is good for about 4 headaches @ 10-12LPM x 12-15 minutes)
-"Q" @ 83 cu.ft.--2350 liters
-"DEY" @ 124 cu.ft.--3511liters
-"S" @ 154 cu.ft.--4360 liters--which is the largest you can reasonably manage at home--4' tall x 7" Diam./ weighs about 75-90 lbs.and requires a wheeled "dolly"
---MY personal choice because I only need to refill once every 20-25 (one week for me) headaches---@ 10-12LPM for 12-15 minutes.
YMMV (your mileage may vary)
There are larger tanks, but probably ex$pensive and you would need to contact your Medical Supplier.
There are 2 types of regulators (that I know of): the small ones for the "E" (et al.) tanks that have an (almost) idiot proof connection--only one way to connect--and one capacity gauge--and the larger, threaded connector type with 2 gauges--one for capacity and the other for flowrate. As far as co$t: YMMV........I got a used, certified 2 gauge regulator for $75---new is about $125. The small "E" types are probably $70 new.
... and the price to refill is infinitely variable. I haven't bought any in over a year and that was in Montana... I tried to get some information here in Austin, Texas and *they* jacked me around so bad, I just quit... as long as the "alternative therapy" works, I don't need to trouble my insurance company (they LIKE it that way)...
and eyes: yer price is not unreasonable...IMHO.... unless yer paying outta pocket.... but EVER-DAMN-BODY pays for insurance...one way or the other....
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ClusterChuck
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #16 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 9:05pm » |
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I have two tanks. One is an H tank (about 5' tall) and the other is what they call a M60, (about 2 1/2' tall).
My insurance refused to cover my O2, so I decided to pay for it myself till I got it settled. I then found out the cost. I pay $15.00, for the H tank, and $12.00 for the M60. that is it. No rental on the regulator, no delivery charge, no monthly charge.
I am shocked at some of the prices I have seen! But the above prices are all I pay.
My H tank can last me as little as three days, or, the longest, one month. It totally depends on the number of hits.
Chuck
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Little Deb
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #17 on: Dec 7th, 2003, 9:19pm » |
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Well heck. I don't know what I have. But it is about 4 ft tall and 7 " wide. But it says on a sticker 3400 liters. And on the receipt, it says "M". Who knows. The regulator does go to 15 l/min though. I will call tomorrow to try to get a portable one and see if they can tell me if my insurance pays for all of it. If they pay for all of it, every month for life, I will be ecstatic!!!!
I am so stocked on meds, I hope the beast never comes!
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Mr. Happy
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Oxygen answer
« Reply #18 on: Dec 8th, 2003, 1:15am » |
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on Dec 7th, 2003, 9:05pm, ClusterChuck wrote:
You're welcome.
$45/mo, no coverage, $20/refill, any sized tank.
Fair dinkum, in my book. Then again, I'm a nitwit.
More glue,
RJ
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jadedgazer
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Re: Oxygen question
« Reply #19 on: Dec 8th, 2003, 7:21am » |
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I got 3 R tanks, unlimited refills, and all the accessories.
I don't pay anything for mine...Thank goodness for the VA. I feel very blessed.
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Jackie S.
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