My mother had a Phillips Simply Go. There is a mini version, but hers was about the size of a small cooler. It had a cart, like the old style luggage carts before luggage had wheels. IIRC. the battery didn’t last long enough for a round of golf, even 9 holes.

ETA: Mom was on 2 liters constant flow. I think you can get longer battery life if you can use the pulse dose setting.

Are they denying coverage on any model of Inogen? I believe the one my dad used was an Inogen and it was provided through his Medicare coverage. That's the only one I am familiar with, unfortunately.

Bbstx, thank you. That unit would probably work well for everything but the golf course. I’ll check for other models. For the course, he needs something that can fit in the little basket on the back of the golf cart. And better yet, on his person when needed, and not interfering with his swing. I saw a man on portable oxygen in the golf course club house recently but I couldn’t see the brand and I thought it would be wrong to just approach him and ask him what he was using. :(

lascatx, thank you. Yes, they apparently told him that they would cover anything but an Inogen. Model doesn’t matter. It has to do with the way they’ve described their equipment. Too bad, because their equipment does seem like it would be best suited to this application.

I can’t believe that I can’t just buy a Worx unit that can run on 20v. lol!

Just a suggestion of you plan on flying: get one that is FAA approved. Here's a link that includes a list of units that are FAA approved and the FAA runes Not sure how up to date is is: https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/cabin_safety/portable_oxygen

wow, straitlover, I had never considered that. Thank you!

I first looked at the Inogen for my dad when he wanted to fly to see his sister before she passed. That's s good suggestion. If you do get insurance coverage, you will likely only get one device for at least 5 years so you want to think ahead the best you can.

Have you talked to his doctor about the choices? If there is a reason the Inogen is best for his needs, an appeal might be possible to get them to reconsider for his purposes. You may have seen this, but Inogen talks about what is required to get insurance coverage. From their site:

Qualifying for Portable Oxygen

If you want to enjoy peace of mind that comes from using oxygen on the go, you may want to consider a portable oxygen concentrator like one of the Inogen One models. Inogen products may be covered by insurance companies, including Medicare and Medicaid, to help with payments or rental of our oxygen products. With an Inogen One, Medicare may pay for portable oxygen rental if all of the following apply to you:

• You meet the aforementioned daytime arterial blood gas testing criteria
• Your doctor provides a prescription saying that you require supplemental oxygen and/or have a severe lung disease
• Your medical documentation indicates that you are mobile in your home and would benefit from the use of a portable system
• Alternative treatments have failed

If the above conditions apply, you should meet the Medicare oxygen requirements and may be able to rent an Inogen One with Medicare.

With an Inogen One Medicare rental, you should qualify for oxygen at home with a monthly rental of oxygen supplies. Once approved, you will pay 20% of the Medicare approved amount, with the applicable Part B deductible. You will be able to rent your oxygen equipment for 36 months, after which time your supplier must continue to provide oxygen equipment and related supplies for an additional 24 months, and up to 5 years, as long as you have a medical need for oxygen. Even with innovative equipment like the Inogen One, Medicare offers rental coverage for getting oxygen at home.[2]

Perhaps rental is an issue here? I think my dad's was rented and after a certain period he might have owned it, but we never got to that point and I could no longer be certain. I was also going to say that while you need a prescription, you don't have to use insurance, but I looked and it appears the out of pocket cost has at least doubled. These things are way more expensive than they need to be. CPAPs too. It makes me wonder just how much they really differ from a $20 aquarium or fountain pump. I digress....

Good luck and hope you find something that works better for him.

He’s a slight guy, so nothing that’s big and heavy.

I was shopping for these for my mom last year. They are HEAVY. We decided against it because it would be too cumbersome for her. Have you been looking at the weight of the units you liked? Were they light enough for your BF? If so, great there may be other companies in that weight range. Just wanted to make sure you know all of the specs!

And, the next time you see someone with one on that you like --do ask them. I bet they would be glad to share info with you.

I found this video from the American Lung Association about them, and it says if you have any questions about them you can call them or submit a question on their website, so they may be able to help you out: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-procedures-and-tests/oxygen-therapy/getting-started-portable-oxygen-concentrator

wow again! Every time I think I know a lot about some subject, I learn that I really don't know anything at all. All of these replies are very helpful and I will have him read through it all. Yes, I could kick myself for not approaching the man who was using a portable concentrator. There isn't any local place for him to go and look at these units in person, so I've been careful in noting the dimensions and weight of everything we've looked at on-line. Fact is, I'll need to be able to handle it for him, and I'm also slight. lol! I'm imagining a weight similar to carrying around a gallon of milk. Maybe that's too optimistic. :) He spoke to an insurance rep and they have recommended that he look at a short list of brands. I will have him call his doctor too. I am encouraging him to find a concentrator because otherwise he needs to have too many small oxygen tanks available for a long round of golf. Thank you so much everyone!!!

I think a gallon of milk is way too optimistic. I don’t know how much a gallon of milk weighs, but a gallon of water weighs 8.3 lbs. I”m pretty sure Mom’s weighed more than that.

The biggest issue we had to deal with with Mom was ”pulse dose” vs ”continuous flow.” She could not breathe deeply enough to trigger the pulse dose. IIRC, not every option came with continuous flow. And continuous flow ran the battery down more quickly.

When we would take Mom out for lunch, we would call ahead and ask to be seated near an outlet. Otherwise lunch was limited to ~an hour. We would plug it in to the car coming and going.

Thank you for that info, bbstx! But, yikes, if it's worse than carrying around a gallon of milk and the battery only lasts about an hour then it doesn't sound very portable at all. I think he would need continuous flow also, and have kept that in mind when searching on-line. It would be so much easier if he could just go to a store where he could see, hear, and feel the various units available!

I have seen people with a mini golf cart like carrier that they role along. Have you seen ones like this? I'm not sure that they don't carry a mini 02 tank.

I don't remember my dad's weighing more than a gallon of milk, so I looked atthe Inogen site again -- it's the one brand I know and I realize that is not as helpful to you. Inogen has 2 newer models featured on their webpage -- one is under 5 lbs and the other is less than 3 - with a standard battery. I looked at another site and the pulse only units weight less (they say 5-10 lbs -- might not be the most up to date info). The ones that can switch between pulse and continuous use weight more (they say 16-18 lbs,). The batteries do add weight, and the longer life ones weigh more. If he uses a cart, he could keep a spare battery and even a charger on the cart. My dad would plug in while we were in the car -- like a phone charger does, and that helps extend battery life also.

There are carts that carry an oxygen tank and it would be pulled along like a small suitcase would be. I've seen the smaller tanks tucked into a purse, the basket of a walker or wheelchair and I'm guessing they have some type of bag on a strap for putting it over the shoulder or you could get a rolling cart or bag to carry it.

My dad also had difficulty getting the pulse settings right and getting used to using it. It may be common for people to get used to at least partial mouth breathing before they get supplemental oxygen. The first thing my dad got was a home concentrator that plugged in and looked a lot like an air purifier but had a long tube so he could go anywhere in the apartment as long as he was careful not to get tangled or trip. That was continuous flow as there was no need to conserve power or oxygen in a tank. The portable unit was yet another adjustment.

I'm not sure how long you have been at thins, but if it will add to his quality of life (and yours) and he can afford it, you could consider an outright purchase. You can get on with doing the things you both want to do while able to do them and it does preserve the insurance benefit for something different down the road. I nearly bought my dad one but he got so angry about the idea that I stopped. There are services that bring a unit out and get you set up with one. I never shopped for one -- the doctor would write the prescription and send it to them and they'd set up everything. Came to my dad's place with oxygen (same day). DH and GS went in for CPAPs -- they do a mask fitting with those. If you decide to explore a cash option, you could talk to them about best options and bringing 2 or 3 options to check out. I don't know if that would work, but it might be worth considering.

Here are some that are 10 lbs or less: https://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/portable-concentrators-under-10-pounds/

Here are the ones they list as FAA approved, and some of these are listed as less than 10 lbs that don't show on the other link: https://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/faa-approved-portable-concentrators/

RNmomof2, that sounds like his emergency tank — it’s on a 2-wheeled carrier like you describe, and it’s good for 4 hours at 2L in the event he loses power. He was without power for more than 30 hours recently. sigh. Luckily, he was able to get one more emergency tank and he doesn’t require oxygen constantly! I even had him use it at 1.5L so that it would last longer.

lascatx, yes, he has a home oxygen concentrator like you describe. This all started last August after they gave him opioids for a back procedure. I also encouraged him to buy whatever portable unit fits his needs, even if he has to pay full price, and he agrees. Now to find the right unit….

Thanks, all. And thanks for those links, straitlover!

Hi all. Just reporting back that after I did more research I encouraged him to buy the Inogen Rove 4. I now realize that the "rove" part of the name means that it's portable, and the "4" part means it can dispense up to 4L/min. duh. :) I also had him get the version with a standard battery and a large one (don't remember their terminology), but at his required 2L dispense rate that large battery should last for 4 hours and 40 mins and the small one for 2 hours and 20 min.!

Insurance doesn't cover a penny of the cost. Things got held up for more than a week just waiting for the proper paperwork to be done, but he finally received the unit on Friday after having it over-nighted in shipping. I *REALLY* wanted it immediately so that he can use it today in a golf tournament! :) So far, so good. The entire unit with the large battery supposedly weighs only 3 lbs and 4 oz. I will weigh it later and let you know -- right now the batteries are charging for the tournament. :)

eta: @lascatx, I have the answer to your question about rentals.... there is only one such medical equipment place in the area and his insurance will only cover the brands that the medical equipment store carries. His ME store seems to carry DeVilbiss exclusively. :p

It still baffles me that the Inogen isn't covered (you could still appeal that if it is worth it to you). Maybe it has more to do with that exclusivity in your area -- which should not be allowed with medical. They are a major player and not new to the game.

Regardless, I'm glad you were able to buy one and now own it. We got a spare battery for my dad's unit and also had the ability to plug it into the car when we were driving, so if that didn't come with yours, it is another thing you could look into.

Opiods are scary stuff. Many people can use them without problems as long as they use them as prescribed, but not everyone and they are still the most prescribed pain meds with surgery. Hope you both enjoy the golf tournament.

Sometimes the appeals are worth it! Hope its working out for your BF

I’ll try to have him look into an appeal but the insurance company told him that Inogen identifies itself as a luxury item. Hence, they can easily deny coverage.

The large battery lasted him the entire round, which is great. I just weighed the unit with small battery, cannula, and carrying case with short strap at 3 lbs 6.5 oz. It came with a carrying case that has both a shoulder strap and a shorter one. It also came with a standard plug-in charging cable and a 12v cable for charging while in the car.

"Luxury item?" What? I just consulted Dr. Google and found that they do not call themselves a luxury item, but they have been classified as luxury items by some insurance carriers (says including Medicare, but they covered my dad's years ago) because they offer features beyond what they consider medically necessary. I haven't done enough recent looking to know if they are really priced that much higher, but they are known for being well made and offering a 3 yr warranty rather than a standard 1 yr. If you do decide to appeal, appeal to the medical necessity of having the portable oxygen and features you chose it for. Being able to maintain activity and enjoy life - even going to doctor's appointments is not a luxury. Oxygen tanks are heavy, cumbersome, potentially dangerous and I bet the cost of those over 3 years would really add up too. Are they a luxury then or it you use too many? This is akin to being told which medication you can take by an insurance carrier when you and your doctor have reasons to chose something different. I am glad you have it now, it is working and he is not housebound or wheeling around tanks. Luxury. I have a few choice words for that idea.

Yes, it’s now a luxury to breathe easier. :p I agree — those oxygen tanks are heavy and cumbersome and potentially dangerous! Until now he’s been renting the equipment and they don’t seem to care how much he asks for, he pays the same flat fee co-pay.

About that warranty: the package he bought cost $3900 and he was told it has a lifetime guarantee with some perks like overnight replacement. He could have saved about $600 by taking a 3 year warranty with no perks.

When I was looking for where the "luxury" was, I saw a comment about a trade-in option so that if your needs change you can trade in and apply that to the new purchase. Maybe that is part of the replacement guarantee. If Medicare did approve it, they would likely say once ever or once in 5 years. Seems like a policy that allows people to be treatment compliant and maintain their social life (work life in some cases) would be beneficial to all in the long run. The package was a bit more than I told my DH was my guess when he asked what they cost, but looks like you have good perks and won't have to worry about that battle again. Good for you!

The ‘replacement’ I was referring to regards a failure in the equipment. We were told that with the lifetime guarantee they would immediately send a replacement unit if his unit had to be sent in for repair. Otherwise, he would be stuck waiting for his unit to be sent in, repaired, and sent back.