QUESTION: My husband, who has had severe lung disease for many years, requires oxygen on a more or less continuous basis.
Do you know if such service is covered by insurance? Our doctor has prescribed it for my husband, but we have limited income and are worried about the cost.
ANSWER: The use of oxygen for patients in their homes can make life a bit easier for those who suffer from chronic lung disease, or who have heart troubles that lower the amounts of oxygen in the blood.
Not all insurances are the same, but in most cases it is a treatment that is covered when certain laboratory tests prove that it is essential to the patient's well being. These blood tests measure the amount of oxygen carried by the blood and compare it with the amount that is can normally be found by such tests.
We all do well on the oxygen in the air, even though it only represents about 20% of the air we breathe, but in individual with impaired lung or heart function, the extra concentration found in containers containing pure oxygen can provide them with the amounts they need.
Several research trials have shown that not only is there an improvement in their ability to get about, but their mental and psychological functions improve as well.
More important yet, they have a greater life expectancy.
Your doctor can help you by providing your insurance companies with the laboratory data they require, for I am sure such tests were used to help make the diagnosis that led to the prescription for home oxygen therapy your doctor has ordered.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
