A Little History From:

Choosing an Ambulatory Oxygen System

Feb 7, 2007 | ARDS, Home Care |

As technology advanced, the oxygen concentrator and liquid oxygen systems emerged in the 1980s and 1990s as the standard of care. The oxygen concentrator with a compressed gas “E” cylinder for ambulation was provided to a large majority of patients during this period. Liquid oxygen was supplied to patients who were considered highly ambulatory or were on a high liter flow. Reimbursement for liquid oxygen was based on the number of pounds of oxygen consumed by the patient. Patients began being prescribed oxygen earlier and remained on their systems for longer periods of time. Ambulation when providing home oxygen therapy became a consideration for the first time.

 

During the mid to late 1990s, there was a series of reductions in oxygen reimbursement. Medicare changes mandated that oxygen therapy services would be reimbursed modality neutral. This meant that the home oxygen provider would receive identical reimbursement levels regardless of whether liquid oxygen, an oxygen concentrator, or large compressed gas cylinders were used to meet the clinical needs of the patient. This caused the home care supplier to focus more on employing oxygen concentrators and compressed gas cylinders for their patients. Liquid oxygen became difficult to provide to large numbers of patients under the changes in Medicare policy. The difficulty was based not on the cost of the equipment but on the fact that liquid oxygen required regular deliveries to the patient’s residence.

https://rtmagazine.com/disorders-diseases/critical-care/ards/choosing-an-ambulatory-oxygen-system/

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