Status of Medicare coverage for Oxygen for cluster headache suppression?

[BobM]

I went to Apria today to get Oxygen tank refills, and they told me that Medicare won't cover them and so they were cancelling my account.  I know this is has been a continuing battle for some time now.  I guess I have been lucky up to now.  Can someone point me to a source or fill me in on the latest on this front?  Is there any hope of getting medicare coverage?

[jon019]

...i think that's still the case....although we hear of occasional work arounds or different interpretations by different offices....hoping someone else can comment more positively...

...still, that's pretty damn rude of Apria to just drop a patient like a poopy diaper....ask them about self pay, if ya got a script there should be no reason for them not to accept. cost of course would be determinative. i did this for many years when my ins company did not cover O2...turned out the out of pocket cost to me was exactly the same either way. made sure to maintain a face to face relationship with the O2 shop mgr...making me a person and not a file...

...your other option would be welding oxygen, which is the same dang stuff, just don't tell 'em you are breathing. in the long run probably cheapest alternative... just have to deal with the hassle factor...

 

[BobM]

Jon, thanks for your response.  Unbelievable that Medicare would just outright deny the existance of a medical condition so impactful (to put it mildly) to those suffering from it.  With regard to your suggestion about self pay, I proposed that yesterday and they weren't amenable, although the guy did mumble something about it being an old prescription.  He also said that if the Rx was something related to a respiratory condition, that Medicare might change their tune.  Thanks again for the advice, and for all who support this site and provide their expertise and experiences.

[xxx]

Hey Bob,

Take up welding.  Welder's O2 comes from the same distillation process as medical O2 and is stored in the same LOX tanks.  After the initial cost of your first cylinder, the actual welder's oxygen cost is roughly the same as your medical insurance co-pay ~ $30 for an M-Size O2 cylinder refill.   I've had an M-Size O2 cylinder in my garage for 11 years, last filled 10 years ago and it still has ~ 1000 psi on the gauge.  Of course I also do oxy-acetylene welding and haven't needed oxygen as a CH abortive since developing and starting the anti-inflammatory regimen with 10,000 iU/day vitamin D3 plus cofactors in October of 2010 .

Take care,

V/R, Batch