Things You Should Know About Portable Oxygen Concentrators

by Calyn Ehid
A portable oxygen concentrator is a mobile device that provides oxygen therapy to a patient at substantially higher concentration than the level of ambient air. It enables patients to be breath independently. The POC range covered by intermediacy is small and discreet, uses battery power, but a car can power it. POC are seniors since they have been there five decades. However, seniors were bulky, not reliable and not supposed to be used in airplanes. Nevertheless, over the years, some manufacturers have improved their reliability by producing around 1-6 liters in a minute per oxygen concentrator.You can plug the POC directly into a regular house outlet for home charging. Also, you can connect a POC to a vehicle DC adapter when you want to use it. The technology of the domestic home concentrators is based on the same principle behind this discovery. Air at barometric pressure contains 21% oxygen combined with nitrogen and a mixture of other gases. Inside the device, there is a miniaturized compressor, which pressurizes the air through a system of chemical filters called molecular sieves.Part of the air produced is delivered to the patient while the other is fed back to the sieves to clear the system from accumulating nitrogen, hence preparing it for the next cycle. Electricity powers the latest POC models, 12v DC and battery packs, therefore, easing the patient’s job of relying on cylinders.

Average Cost of Portable Oxygen

The cost of portable energy depends on some critical factors. Such factors determine the price: Is it new or used? How much of oxygen concentration is covered by medical insurance? And whether you will be buying or renting the oxygen concentrator. POC cost between $2000 and $6000 depending on concentrator weight, features offered and the brand. For example, Evergo Respironics Concentrator cost about $4000 and weighs about 10 pounds. They also have a touch screen display, longer battery life and have a carrying bag. On the other hand, SeQual Eclipse cost about $30000. They are heavier and can be used as a home concentrator, weigh about 18 pounds, but their battery life is lower than Evergo. Insurance covers the purchase of POC if the patient is in dire need of it even though copay rates and deductibles still apply. The average deductible starts at $1000 to over $2000 while average copay ranges from $15 to $25 depending on the state.Next