Medicare Changes To Affect Oxygen Users

If you started renting oxygen equipment in January 2006 or later, then you would have to pay rent on it for 36 months, after which it would be considered sold to you. The 36-month rental period is going to be reduced to 18 months if the U.S. House of Representatives has its way.

What are the ramifications of this move? It means that you have to be very careful when you choose your oxygen equipment so you will have to do a great deal of research before you get one. Any switching will mean costs involved.

Would this be putting a lot of pressure on patients who are already burdened with rising healthcare costs? It really would be quite problematic wondering whether the equipment they now own needs servicing, is functioning at its best or is functioning at all.

If the beneficiary were to own the equipment, sure, it works out less expensive for Medicare and while it might not really cost the patient any more than renting it would, one wonders how a lot of older people will manage their equipment. It does involve responsibility to keep the equipment in good working order and the very process of determining how efficient it is can be quite a hassle for the beneficiaries.

If at all one wants to switch to alternative equipment, this too would be a problem and would no doubt involve additional costs. The oxygen equipment suppliers are figuring out how to stay in business while providing good service as well as equipment. As far as the beneficiary is concerned, making sure to know exactly what options are available as far as equipment is concerned is becoming more and more important.