Oxygen  

Brannons provides home oxygen concentrators, portable systems, and mobile oxygen systems. A prescription listing the diagnosis, length of need, and liter flow must be presented prior to dispensing any of these systems. Insurers also have individual criteria determining the type of equipment available.While Brannons' staff stay updated on insurance rules and criteria, we encourage customers to contact their insurer to learn what is covered and what medical criteria must be established in order to utilize benefits.

Brannons fully complies with the standards and criteria set by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). The Medicare criteria for oxygen includes the demonstration that oxygen is medically necessary (in addition to a doctor's prescription).

Medicare's Oxygen Saturation Test Criteria

Medicare pays for home oxygen if a patient's oxygen saturation level, determined by an Oximetry test, is less than or equal to 88%; or if a patient's blood gas results show a PO2 that is less than or equal tp 55 mm hg.

What Constitutes a Valid Oxygen Saturation Test?

For a test to be valid, it must be conducted:

• While the patient is "at rest" on "room air";
• 48 hours prior to facility discharge to home;
• Within 30 days of a physician's order;
• By an approved testing site (e.g. doctor's office, facility, or lab).

Is There Another Way to Qualify?

For those patients not meeting the 88% criteria "on room air at rest", Medicare allows for a three step test to document the need for oxygen with exertion. Each step of the test must be performed AND documented completely in the patient file.

1st  Test patient on room air at rest and record written 02 saturation results.

2nd Test patient on room air while ambulating (exercising) and record O2 saturation written results.

3rd  Test patient on oxygen with exercise (document liter flow used. If patient's saturation improves when using oxygen (e.g. 86% to 91%) then the patient may meet the criteria.