Do you ever wonder how to purchase an oxygen concentrator?
Thoughts of learning new equipment, changing your routine and engaging with your insurance provider may make the process more daunting than promising. If an oxygen tank is what you know and are used to, the thought of getting a new oxygen concentrator may be enticing. Don’t let the purchasing process be the obstacle that stands between you and your new machine. If you want to know, “How can I buy an oxygen concentrator?” read on. Learning about the buying process and ordering an Inogen oxygen concentrator can all be accomplished in minutes if you have all necessary information.
Getting Started: How Can You Purchase an Oxygen Concentrator?
How can you buy an oxygen machine and what should you do? First, if you do not have an oxygen prescription yet, make an appointment with your doctor to have your oxygen levels tested. After completing tests to establish your supplemental oxygen requirements, you may also want to speak with an Inogen oxygen specialist so that they can send the appropriate prescription paperwork directly to your doctor.
During your appointment, your doctor will review the flow rates you need, the times and frequency with which you will use oxygen and any frustrations you currently have with your breathing difficulties. You should also specifically discuss how an oxygen concentrator could meet your oxygen needs. Make sure you have a solid understanding of your oxygen prescription and what you need to look for in an oxygen concentrator.[1]
If you are a caretaker researching oxygen concentrators for a loved one, you may wonder, “How can you purchase an oxygen concentrator for someone else?” There are certain legal requirements that must be met if the oxygen prescription is not under your name. Call our oxygen specialists to find out what you need to do. It is also helpful to attend doctor’s appointments with your loved one so that you can ask the doctor how to best care for them.
Decide What Type of Oxygen Concentrator You Need
After the doctor’s appointment where you discuss your oxygen needs and what you need from an oxygen concentrator, the first decision you have to make is whether you need a portable oxygen concentrator or a home oxygen concentrator. Your oxygen prescription will narrow your choices for you, based on the flow dosing you need. If you already know what you’re looking for, skip ahead!
If you don’t know, learn more about the differences in order to better understand your own needs and how they will best be met. In some cases, both devices are necessary.
Inogen’s customer representatives are always ready and willing to help patients understand how Medicare and other insurance fit into the equation. Inogen can’t guarantee that everyone will receive full coverage, but we can guarantee that we will work to find the best possible situation for every single customer, whether it’s a portable oxygen concentrator rental or direct purchase.
Many insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, will cover a portion of the cost for your oxygen therapy equipment, provided that your doctor confirms that you require it. [2] Inogen has direct access to Medicare and can see how long any patient has been on service with a tank. Inogen checks and verifies insurance coverage and patient financial responsibility.
You may be wondering if you can purchase an oxygen machine outright. Absolutely, and purchasing your oxygen concentrator in cash speeds up the buying process, without waiting for insurance to review the purchase and decide whether it will be approved. Insurance review can be a long process, and in the end, you may discover that insurance will not cover your costs. Paying cash up front cuts through the red tape. Depending on your medical diagnosis and insurance verification, you may be able to bill your insurance for reimbursement. Contact an Inogen Oxygen Specialist or your insurance company to find out if you can be reimbursed for your oxygen concentrator, and what you need to do to be approved.
Inogen’s online store enables you to get your desired oxygen concentrator on your doorstep as soon as possible. To purchase your oxygen concentrator outright from us:
Step 3: Proceed to Checkout and fill out payment information
Step 4: Fill out shipping information
Step 5: Submit your order
Step 6: Wait to be contacted by an Inogen representative and confirm your order!
Take it out of the Box and Get Moving
The next chapter of your life starts when your oxygen concentrator arrives!
Buying an oxygen concentrator doesn’t have to be confusing for potential users who require medical oxygen. We’re looking forward to helping you get started.
Frequently Asked Questions: Purchasing an Oxygen Concentrator
How can I buy an oxygen machine online?
Ensure you have a current prescription for oxygen therapy. Then, go to Inogen.com and visit the product page to explore your options. Choose the right oxygen concentrator for you and click “Add to Cart.” Then, proceed to checkout and fill out your payment and shipping information. Submit your order and an Inogen representative will contact you to confirm and answer any questions.
Why do you need a prescription to buy an oxygen concentrator?
An oxygen concentrator is a medical device that provides medical grade oxygen. As such, the US FDA requires a prescription before you can purchase an oxygen concentrator. Simply see your doctor to find out about getting your oxygen prescription today. [3]
Transient nocturnal desaturation, also known as nocturnal hypoxemia, is defined as a temporary drop in oxygen saturation during sleep. Patients diagnosed with sleep disordered breathing from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are at a greater risk for nocturnal desaturation. A substantial number of patients will have both COPD and OSA.[1]
Transient Nocturnal Desaturation is a significant problem in COPD, affecting a relatively large number of COPD patients. In fact, one study suggests that 27-70% of COPD patients with daytime oxygen saturation levels of 90-95% experience substantial desaturation at night, particularly during a period of sleep known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. In people with severe COPD, desaturation during sleep is even more profound than desaturation during exercise, which is also common.[2]
OSA is defined by intermittent collapse of the upper airway, which results in repetitive hypoxemia and arousal. It is estimated that OSA occurs in 4% of American men and 2% of women, meaning almost 10 million people in the United States are affected, although that is probably an underestimate. Obesity is a risk factor for the development of OSA. As obesity rates have risen over the last 15 years, the current prevalence of OSA is almost certainly much greater.[1]
A substantial number of patients will have both OSA and COPD. This “overlap syndrome” causes more severe nocturnal hypoxemia than either disease alone. This common combination of OSA and COPD has important implications for diagnosis, treatment, and outcome.[1]
The Trouble with Mouth Breathing and Treatment Options
Wondering why mouth breathing matters, how it affects you and how to stop mouth breathing? If you are a mouth breather, you probably have all of these questions and more. Read on to learn why being a mouth breather can have a surprising impact on your health.
Portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) are devices developed in response to demand for a lightweight, portable source of supplemental oxygen.[1] Pulse dose delivery allows concentrators to deliver medical grade oxygen all day, every day while remaining convenient to carry.
