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Medicare changes affect oxygen patients, suppliers

Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly, April 3, 2008

Beginning July 1, only some suppliers of oxygen will continue to be contracted by Medicare as the result of a 2003 change in Medicare law that is just now being put into operation, according to Cox News. 

The number of chosen suppliers, winners of competitive bidding in 10 metropolitan areas around the country, will be announced in May. Companies that were not chosen can continue to provide oxygen to their current customers at the Medicare bid price, but Medicare will not pay them for new customers.

Using competitive bids will save the program and the beneficiaries huge amounts of money, Medicare officials say.

However, because companies can only provide the medical equipment for the items for which they won a bid, patients may have a more difficult time obtaining the equipment they need before they can be discharged. This may translate into a longer length of stay as patients may have to wait longer to line up the necessary medical equipment from several different companies, according to Cox News.

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