Portable Oxygen

Millions of Americans rely upon portable oxygen to breathe, particularly seniors. Conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer or emphysema are common reasons why you might need an oxygen delivery system both and home and when you are out.

There are three main options for people who are in need of portable O2: compressed oxygen, liquid oxygen, and oxygen concentrators. Compressed oxygen is highly pressurized oxygen gas that is stored in canisters. Many people chose small compressed O2 canisters as their oxygen delivery system of choice for shorter trips, as they are lightweight and don't last very long. Liquified oxygen canisters last five times as long as compressed, which can make them a better choice for longer use. Liquified oxygen is lightweight and long-lasting, and many people prefer it for both home use and travel.

Oxygen concentrators are machines that pull O2 from the air (where the concentration is only around 20 percent,) and condense it into a concentration of just over 90 percent. O2 concentrators used to only be for home use because they are large, noisy and plug into the wall, but now there are portable oxygen concentrators that run on battery power and are considerably quieter.

All three kinds of oxygen delivery systems can be pulled on a small rolling handcart, which is particularly vital for seniors who can't manage to carry canisters and machinery with them everywhere. For liquid and compressed oxygen, you will have to schedule weekly deliveries of canisters. A portable oxygen concentrator doesn't require refills.

If you have Medicare, you shouldn't have to worry about the relative prices of these three alternatives. The out-of-pocket cost of oxygen delivery systems for a Medicare patient is about $40 per month for canister delivery, and the hardware should be covered completely. If you were to pay out of pocket, compressed canisters are considerably less expensive than oxygen concentrators or liquified oxygen machines, which can run several thousands of dollars. Luckily, insurance and Medicare usually ensure that you won't have to pay.