Millions of people depend on home oxygen therapy to get by on a daily basis. Those who suffer from low oxygen levels can often feel tired, have dizzy spells and can even suffer greater consequences, such as a heart attack or stroke. In order to receive home oxygen therapy, a person must own or rent a home oxygen machine and be supplied with oxygen; normally on a monthly basis.
The problem however is that home oxygen therapy can be expensive and people these days are finding their costs completely denied by Medicare in some instances. New regulations were enacted this year that makes it quite difficult for home oxygen users to change suppliers. The new regulations mean that suppliers will be receiving a higher payment in years one, two and three of service, but then the payment rate drops drastically in the 4th and 5th year.
What this means is that if a home oxygen therapy user tries to switch suppliers after the 3rd year, then the new supplier may deny them services because they do not want to lose out on the money they receive if the patient was still in the first three years. At the end of 5 years, the whole system resets and suppliers begin to get paid the premium rates again, but it leaves many people stranded and stuck with suppliers that they do not want to be with. It also puts home oxygen therapy patients at risk for getting hit with a big bill from a new supplier.
The new regulations were put into effect to try and scale down on Medicare costs, but this recent trend shows that patients are suffering from the new rules. The only option patients seem to have these days is to call their insurance provider and stress the provider switch so that the insurance company can help assist them in finding a provider that will accept whatever payment Medicare is willing to provide at that time.
This trend and the rising costs go along with other medical cost trends right now. Regardless of whether it is Medicare or private insurance, new restrictions keep being implemented that make it difficult for patients to receive the care that they need at an affordable cost. Restrictions such as these also make it difficult for people to have options when it comes to customer service and other related care.
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