News
Health insurer agrees to pay for portable oxygen concentrator after appeal by Alpha-1 Foundation board member
JACKSON HOLE, WY—When Alpha-1 Foundation Board member Rob Williams was featured in the winter 2008 issue of Alpha-1-to-One magazine, he mentioned an insurance dispute over supplemental oxygen:
His health insurer didn’t want to cover his portable oxygen concentrator (POC) in addition to the oxygen concentrator he uses at home. According to the insurance company, the portable concentrator was for his “personal comfort and convenience” and was therefore not covered.
Williams disagreed and appealed the decision.
“I’m not going to put up with that,” Williams said at the time. “I believe that portable oxygen is more than just a convenience – that is, if you like to breathe while away from home, and especially for those who travel for business. We’ll see what happens.”
Here is what happened: His insurer has agreed to pay for a new Inogen One portable oxygen concentrator. This is one of the five portable oxygen concentrators approved by the US Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration to be carried aboard commercial airlines.
Under a new ruling that will take effect May 13, 2009, all US airlines worldwide and all foreign flights that either begin or end in the United States must allow passengers to carry on one of these portable concentrators.
Until then, airlines have the last say as to whether or not they will allow portable oxygen concentrators on board, but the number of airlines accepting portable concentrators is steadily growing.
