Follow
Share

I suffer from COPD which is quite severe. I currently have a respiratory infection on top of that and I believe that it's going into pneumonia. I have medicaid for the medically needy on a share cost basis which requires me to pay the first $743.00 per month for medical bills before medicaid will pick up the tab on the rest. I draw $943.00 in social security and by the time I pay my rent, utilities, food and laundry cost and car insurance and fuel I don't really have any money left over. I'm going to the doctor today for treatment and I think he's going to advocate home oxygen so I was trying to determine if I can get assistance with that. Please advise me of any beneficial options available that would help my situation. Thank you very much and God Bless. Sincerely, Charles P.

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Find Care & Housing
i had to sign a paper stating if medicare doesn't pay for my moms oxygen we will and it s 177 per month using a concentrator.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

My mom was prescribed home oxygen, and Medicare paid the whole thing, I sure hope this works the same for you!!
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

Hi I'm a respiratory therapist. Home oxygen is covered by medicare if it meets medical necessity. They will check your mom's oxygen saturation with and without mobility. If she doesn't qualify it's because her saturation did not drop low enough. Be sure that they check it when she's as active as possible. If it doesn't drop, she probably does not require it as the shortness of breath could be from another source (collapsed air sacs, etc). Good luck, Also a dr. should prescribe after receiving results from testing.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

Medicaid is different in each state, but oxygen which is prescribed by a physician is a medical necessity, so it should be covered, but I would check with your Medicaid case manager. Good luck!
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

the others are correct your oxygen saturation has to be low for you to qualify so make sure they do all the tests and get that reading so that you can have it at home and Medicaid should cover it. Are you a vet? There are services that will pay for that as well. Maybe you can call you or Area Agency on Aging and get help with your bills or Catholic social services. There are many agencies that can help but you have to go looking for them. You may have to jump through some hoops but it would be worth it to get money to help pay for rent or your oxygen or even food. My dad has COPD also and we have the home oxygen as well as the traveling unit which took me about 3 months of fighting back and forth to get. We did have a wonderful company for the home oxygen first and they would run anything over to us all the time or I could go to their office and pick up whatever I needed. We have Inogen now and they are a great company. You could contact them and see if they can help you qualify that is what I did.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

Contact your local Area Agency on Aging if you are over 65, since you didn't give your age I'm guessing you have medicare. AAA should have someone that can explain your medicare & insurance benefits . Medicare covers 80%, if you have a supplemental it may cover the 20%. You will need to have a physician's prescription for the home oxygen. If you have Medicaid I would contact the case manager as stated above.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

all the above, but also, contact your electric co. for a reduction in your bill with them. That cost is extensive for the machine to make the o2
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

In Florida medicare will pay if like said above your family members O2 drops significantly. The requirements in our state is the drop in O2 and my Mother has to be home bound which she is. She can go to the store if need be but that's about it. Also as mentioned some electric company's will give you a discount due to the cost of the machine. I've noticed my Mother's bill has increased about 30% since the use of the machine. Good luck!
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

My husband was on O2 near the end of his live. He had good insurance, so It didn't cost us anything. I finally had to have hospice in and they brought their own O2. Before that I had to refill the bottles with a machine. It took the oxygen right out of the air and compressed it in the bottles. So many people with COPD should be a warning about smoking. My first husband smoked. 2nd on had smoked in his youth. My mother, step father, brother- law-law smoked. I breathed enough 2nd hand smoke it is miracle that I don't have it. I have enough other stuff wrong with me as it is. I am a veteran and pay a co-pay for my meds. If anyone is a veteran, they should check to see about O2 supply.
My husband's insurance and medicare paid for the hospice. He died at 101. Mind still very sharp. And a wonderful sense of humor. He was not a veteran.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

Dear Charles, All the statements here are correct and may be beneficial to you. No one can exaggerate the life-savings benefits of 02. if you have shortness of breath, pls advise your doctor of this....regardless of the Pulse OX readings. I am concerned about the pneumonia, however, and even infectious bronchitis. This must be treated first. Hopefully you have a good pulmonologist. Good Luck!
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

Charles, on Medicaid you should have a caseworker. Please contact that person ASAP. Call Social Services.
ElderSource, Area Agency on Aging for Northeast Florida in Jacksonville, FL
4160 Woodcock Dr Second Floor
Jacksonville, FL 32207
904-391-6600
http://www.myeldersource.org
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

Charles. If your COPD is not really bad enough for O2, try deep breathing. I try to breath deeply just to see if it will increase my energy level. I will be 83 next month. I developed diabetes some time in 1990. I have been on med for that and then about 6 years ago the VA put me on insulin shots. I give myself one every day. Not to bad if I don't hit a nerve. But I am pretty tough old gal. I am from Oklahoma and they grew them tough there. I wish I were back In Okie land. My daughter wanted me to move here when my 2nd husband died. So I did, Now I am living in Vancouver, WA where it rains 90% of the time. The sun is trying its best to peek out of the clouds today. If you are a veteran, check out the VA hospital where you are. Verna
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

my mom pays 177 per month for o2, until medicare kicks in /agrees to pay for it
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

Medicare will pay with a doctor's notice stating your parent needs to be on it daily.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

for grandma, I ordered an O2 machine maker, paid $300 per month, and the PGE discounted the electricity to run it all of the time.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter