Cheaper Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

July 10, 2008 6:49 PM

Where can I find a used/rebuilt Airsep Freestyle portable oxygen concentrator on the cheap?

This machine ( the Airsep Freestyle portable oxygen concentrator ) is so new that there are few used/rebuilt units available, my grandfather's Medicare won't pay for it, and the new ones are around $4000, so we're looking for a cheaper one (at any price point). We need the exact style, as the doctor said that no other concentrators would work for my grandfather's needs. I figured that putting the question up to the hive mind might allow some different perspectives and a possible solution to this problem, so any help would be great. Any knowledge of where to find this machine even a little cheaper, used/new/rebuilt would really be a help.

posted by alcopop to health & fitness (2 comments total)

If the doctor has said that your grandfather specifically needs that brand/style, you should definitely look into appealing Medicare's denial. Their approval system is set up to deny anything that doesn't fit into cookie cutter guidelines, but they sometimes reverse their denials if you've got clear and convincing medical evidence from your doctor of your grandfather's needs. Good luck.
posted by amyms at 8:37 PM on July 10, 2008

It would be helpful if you would elaborate on exactly what makes this particular model so much more suitable. If you don't know yourself, you should ask. Superficially, the only possible differences between oxygen concentrators seems to be: size, power source, oxygen flow rate, purity of oxygen produced. Continuing the superficial look, it seems that the Airsep Freestyle is an especially light and easily portable unit. I think if an exact make and model match is necessary, you will have great difficulty in your quest for a discount source.

As a general solution to this type of problem.. Google indexes Craigslist RSS feeds, so if you do a search like "oxygen concentrator craigslist", you will see up to date results from all over North America. For example, somebody in Missouri is selling a less portable unit for $150.
posted by Chuckles at 4:17 PM on July 11, 2008