What did you do today? 2017 version

[travelover]

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Priced a portable O2 concentrator as DW is on full time O2 now.

Under five pound unit with accessories (extra battery, case, filters, etc) is ~ $3,500.00 (no Medicare coverage for this)

Have you checked Craigslist?

 

[Nemo2]

DW is on full time O2 now.

So sorry, and saddened, to hear that....I know you both had high hopes.

 

[aja8888]

Can you lease?

Haven't checked, but I doubt it. Doctor has to write a prescription for purchasing one. It appears they can only be bought through medical supply companies.

 

[aja8888]

So sorry, and saddened, to hear that....I know you both had high hopes.

Yeah, the heart valve replacement surgery has not shown any significant improvement in her lung ability to process oxygen efficiently. Maybe over time it will improve, but at this point, it hasn't.

 

[aja8888]

Have you checked Craigslist?

Actually, I have and not any are for sale. People can trade them in to medical supply companies when they need a model with more volume capacity. I would guess the used market is pretty small.

 

[Nemo2]

Yeah, the heart valve replacement surgery has not shown any significant improvement in her lung ability to process oxygen efficiently. Maybe over time it will improve, but at this point, it hasn't.

All I can say is "Good luck, and keep hoping"....anything else I proffer would probably sound like meaningless platitudes, but I wish you all the best.

 

[Moemg]

Yeah, the heart valve replacement surgery has not shown any significant improvement in her lung ability to process oxygen efficiently. Maybe over time it will improve, but at this point, it hasn't.

So sorry to hear about your wife maybe your supplement would cover the oxygen.

 

[Moemg]

There’s something nice about a new home. I’ve lived in “character” homes and new homes, and I prefer new.

I prefer remodeled character homes. That is why I am having a hard time pulling the trigger on moving .I have no interest in a cookie cutter home .

 

[Meadbh]

Haven't checked, but I doubt it. Doctor has to write a prescription for purchasing one. It appears they can only be bought through medical supply companies.

Medical supply companies sometimes have leasing programs.

 

[Meadbh]

I prefer remodeled character homes. That is why I am having a hard time pulling the trigger on moving .I have no interest in a cookie cutter home .

“Cookie cutter” and “new” are not the same thing.

 

[travelover]

Actually, I have and not any are for sale. People can trade them in to medical supply companies when they need a model with more volume capacity. I would guess the used market is pretty small.

Here is one near me. You can also use Search Tempest to search nationally. Seems shippable.

 

[REWahoo]

Here is one near me. You can also use Search Tempest to search nationally. Seems shippable.

I found a couple of them for sale on our Craigslist, too.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Yeah, the heart valve replacement surgery has not shown any significant improvement in her lung ability to process oxygen efficiently. Maybe over time it will improve, but at this point, it hasn't.

Sorry to hear this.

 

[aja8888]

So sorry to hear about your wife maybe your supplement would cover the oxygen.

Medicare leases at no cost to us the small portable tanks she uses and the large home O2 concentrator that supplies her while indoors. The lease is three years and then can be renewed. What we want to purchase is a portable concentrator to eliminate the heavy, bulky oxygen bottles that she uses that have a short supply, time wise. She can't travel without the portable unit as the bottles are not refillable by us.

The supplement we have won't cover what Medicare won't cover. All they pay is the excess that Medicare won't pay on a covered procedure or charge.

 

[aja8888]

Medical supply companies sometimes have leasing programs.

I checked a while ago and a typical lease was quoted at $245 per week. Nutty.

 

[aja8888]

Here is one near me. You can also use Search Tempest to search nationally. Seems shippable.

Thanks, I'll have a look using Search Tempest.

 

[NW-Bound]

Medicare leases at no cost to us the small portable tanks she uses and the large home O2 concentrator that supplies her while indoors. The lease is three years and then can be renewed. What we want to purchase is a portable concentrator to eliminate the heavy, bulky oxygen bottles that she uses that have a short supply, time wise. She can't travel without the portable unit as the bottles are not refillable by us.

The supplement we have won't cover what Medicare won't cover. All they pay is the excess that Medicare won't pay on a covered procedure or charge.

The large machine is what my mother-in-law is using due to emphysema, free-of-charge as courtesy of the government. Her machine has a high-pressure pump that can refill the portable bottles. However, she does not leave the home anymore, and also does not need O2 full-time.

I was surprised to learn that the little portable machines cost a lot more than the big ones. Wonder why.

 

[aja8888]

I was surprised to learn that the little portable machines cost a lot more than the big ones. Wonder why.

Probably because the users want to leave the house and get unconnected from the big unit.

 

[Moemg]

Try ebay for a oxygen concentrator.

 

[aja8888]

Try ebay for an oxygen concentrator.

I did, all they sell are extra batteries. Same with Amazon. Batteries are $400 on up, depending on the number of cells. I guess since the units are medical devices requiring a prescription from a MD, they must have some restrictions on selling the units, new or used on their sites.

I did come across a few used units on Craigslist, but pricing for an Inogen One G3, which is what we want due to physical size and output capacity, is close to new pricing or discounted a bit since it is used. I would worry about warranty buying a used one and whether or not it is fully functional from a output standpoint. Good working unit put out a stream of 90% pure oxygen and I would have no way to certify that. Also, battery life can be an issue and those are expensive batteries.

Clarification: some portable O2 units are for sale on eBay with Chinese writing on the face of the unit and on the dials. I guess those could exempt from whatever the manufacturers that sell the most commonly bought units have to abide by. Or they don't meet any certification other are required to. Many operate on 220 volts also.

Here is a link to one if anyone is curious:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/220V-9L-Ad...d=192344007017&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

[W2R]

Aja8888, you know my heart goes out to you and your DW, but I haven't posted about the oxygen because I do not know one single thing about it. All I can say is that you should just go ahead and buy one. Possibly the first time she uses it would be worth the whole price to her.

There’s something nice about a new home. I’ve lived in “character” homes and new homes, and I prefer new.

I prefer remodeled character homes. That is why I am having a hard time pulling the trigger on moving .I have no interest in a cookie cutter home .

As you two and I all know, one of the best parts of buying a home is that we can buy one to suit our individual tastes and desires. I love it. Meadbh doesn't have to buy and live in an older home if she doesn't want to, and Moemg doesn't have to buy and live in a new home that she feels is too cookie cutter for her. Moemg, eventually you will find the perfect home and pull that trigger. No need to rush if the right home isn't there for you yet. One day, it will be.

As for me, I mostly wanted a home that, well, felt like HOME to me and had certain features I wanted, whether it was old or new. When I found it, it turned out that my dream home was built in 1965. It is partly remodeled in a way that is consistent with its older character. It has the big shower and garage that I wanted, and yet is reasonably small and just right for me. And of course, the best feature is that it is in a great neighborhood, and right next door to Frank (and we installed a gateway in the backyard side fence, so that we can walk back and forth easily).

All my life I have wanted a home like this more than anything. I wanted it even more than young girls want horses. And now, I am living in it - - I love it just the way it is.

 

[braumeister]

Under five pound unit with accessories (extra battery, case, filters, etc) is ~ $3,500.00 (no Medicare coverage for this)

Are you sure? This site says Medicare covers it:
https://www.inogen.com/oxygen-therapy/purchase-options/

 

[rodi]

Aja888 - my aunt got a portable unit right before Thanksgiving. The first unit she got would turn off after 15 minutes. Then an 8 minute power cycle to get it going again. My cousin called to exchange it at the medical supply store and got there an hour or two before closing on Thanksgiving Eve. Gets it home to my aunt and it doesn't work. Calls them back and they troubleshoot it over the phone... Discover it was sent out without batteries. Fortunately they were able to messenger out batteries.

Lesson learned... Test it in the store and check that it has batteries.

 

[aja8888]

Are you sure? This site says Medicare covers it:
https://www.inogen.com/oxygen-therapy/purchase-options/

Next, if you’re eligible, we’ll work directly with your doctor to see if the Inogen One is right for you and obtain the required paperwork.

We are not eligible. We spoke with Medicare directly. We have a rental home unit as primary and small bottles as a backup. In this area, and with our income and assets, we are not eligible (I wish we were).

Looks like we will buy the new one and have a 3 year warranty. These are delicate and sensitive units. See Rodi's family experience noted above. Buying used is too risky, especially off Craigslist.

In the last two years, the large home concentrator has puked out three times. The company Medicare leases it from replaced it within a few hours each time, and one time was on a Sunday.

 

[Walt34]

Installed new plastic skids on the new snowthrower, some reviews say that helps make handling easier so I figured for $35 it would be worth it if it helps. The originals are steel. I also sprayed some anti-snow-stick stuff on the snowthrower and the two snow shovels. Can't hurt, might help.

Took the old snowthrower over to BIL's place and gave that to him. He's got far worse cardiac issues than I do so it'll go to good use. One thing he said though was that he was a little reluctant to take it because if he has a snowthrower that will make it snow. Uh, okay. Anyway, my timing is good because the kid who used to clear out his driveway moved away last summer.

When I got back from BIL's place the garage door opener wouldn't work until I got to the driveway so I changed out the battery. When DW gets home (she's out with friends) I'll change the one in her car too.

Changed the furnace air filter.

Busy day for a retiree.