Making a Way in the Wilderness

On Wednesday I went from desperation to elation in a matter of hours. I called the O2 company to ask when they would deliver the portable concentrator. First, I learned that it goes up to 5L/minute, not 1L as I had thought. That was great news. But then the rep told me that the portable delivers O2 in pulses and you have to inhale deeply through your nose; it won't deliver O2 on a normal inhale. And it doesn't have a continuous flow option (e.g., for sleeping). So that made it seem like the portable wouldn't be helpful for walking and going on overnight trips. I was crushed. It got worse: when I asked to order more oxygen tanks, I was told that if I have a portable, I can no longer order tanks. Insurance will cover one or the other, not both. I can have 2 tanks as an emergency backup. That's it. In fact, if I decided to return the portable, my pulmonologist would have to write a new prescription for O2 tanks. I called Leland in a panic, unsure what to do.  When I return...

I have been feeling discouraged about still needing to use supplemental oxygen, the slow rate of progress (I'm using oxygen at night and need 4-6L/minute on walks), and my inability to travel or make travel plans without a portable oxygen concentrator. On Tuesday I called the oxygen company again to find out the status of my order. My pulmonologist sent the original prescription on September 9, and I wrote in my last post about the maddening process of getting it approved. Since I'd initially been told it could take 6-8 weeks to get one, I was expecting them to say it would take that much longer. Well, I received shockingly good news: it has been approved and will be delivered next Wednesday!!! My co-pay will be $3 (it costs ~$2400 without insurance). Here is my new baby : Apparently I will have to start playing bocce ball after I get my portable (thankfully, we have a set). The concentrator will weigh just 5-6 lbs. depending on the battery type. The downside is it only deliver...

Those of you who have read this blog from the beginning may recall my posts about how inexpensive healthcare is in Germany compared to the US. I now have additional proof. I've been receiving "explanation of benefits" statements from Aetna detailing the cost of my hospital stays and other healthcare services since the end of July. Close your eyes and guess how much these amount to. Higher. No, higher. Still higher. Well over $200,000. Of that, I have paid maybe $100 plus some $20-30 co-pays for doctor's visits. Add to that my cancer and blood thinner medications, which would cost about $16,000 per month without insurance. I have no idea what people in my situation do if they are uninsured or under-insured. My recent interaction with one of my German doctors illustrates another stark difference. Before leaving Germany, I had asked my doctor what to do if I received bills from the LungenClinic after we had moved and closed our Deutsche Bank account (all bills in Germany...