Pulse Oximeter.....Rant

elijah'smom · #1 05-15-2009, 11:21 PM

Okay our insurance company purchased Elijah's pulse ox and we own it now. Well the internal battery is not charging as soon as we unplug it it goes dead. Well we called A**** and since we own it the only way that we can get another one is to rent one while they send our off to be repaired. It is $861 a month to rent and then we have to pay the repair cost!!!!! I spoke with the branch manager and I guess this is a new policy that they have now. The need a credit card number in order to rent us one. They also inform us that our insurance won't cover repair charges and neither does medicaid. So I have contacted Elijah's pulmonary doctor and they are trying to figure something out. This is absolutely nuts!! I had to go out and buy a adapter that plugs in to the car lighter so that in the car we can have it on. He is suppose to be on the pulse ox 24/7. I have never had a problem in 2.5 years with A**** until now.

kirafaesmom · #2 05-15-2009, 11:33 PM

That's beyond crazy. Do you have a case worker you can contact? We have one now that we are on Medicaid's Medically Fragile (actually had one before as well....). Ours is very helpful in figuring this kind of thing out.

lynn · #3 05-16-2009, 12:09 AM

Oh how frustrating! hope you can get it sorted out and dont have to pay out of pocket.

LittleBee · #4 05-16-2009, 12:28 AM

I wouldn't accept the DME's word that insurance won't pay. I would contact the insurance company directly. This doesn't make any sense. I just can't believe that your insurance company wouldn't have coverage for equipment breaking down. It isn't meant to last forever, but your child's medical needs could be long lasting. The only repair we have ever needed was replacing a faulty suction machine cord. We owned the suction machine already, but the insurance company paid to replace the cord.

Good luck, and I hope it isn't too much of a fight!

Livi's_mama · #5 05-16-2009, 12:42 AM

Take the battery out of it and google the number of it.

Back when we had PSA they told me they couldn't order me a new battery because my pulse ox was considered old (but they would rent me a new one!)

I took out the battery, googled and got 2 replacement batteries for like $20 total with shipping!

I've been using one of them for 2 yrs now and haven't even touched the other one!

Niff · #6 05-16-2009, 07:45 AM

Oye. I understand medical equipment isn't cheap, but do DMEs really think we have a chest of "spare money" hanging around?

I agree with Trish - see if you can buy the battery yourself. You may even be able to google the exact model of pulse ox you have and look up the specs, as opposed to removing the battery yourself.

scm · #7 05-16-2009, 08:38 AM

Also- often equipment like the pulse ox comes with a manufactor's warranty for two years or so. If you own the pulse ox now, you own the warranty as well and a faulty battery should be covered. What brand do you have? Try and contact the manufactor directly to see if you are covered by the warranty, then you can go back to the DME and inform them.

elijah'smom · #8 05-16-2009, 07:37 PM

Thank you Trish....It didn't even cross my mind to goggle the battery. A replacement battery is only $36.

Quote:

Also- often equipment like the pulse ox comes with a manufactor's warranty for two years or so. If you own the pulse ox now, you own the warranty as well and a faulty battery should be covered. What brand do you have? Try and contact the manufactor directly to see if you are covered by the warranty, then you can go back to the DME and inform them.

Thank you.....I am going to call on Monday and find out if it has a warranty.
Wonderful A**** has had me stressed out about this

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