Opinion: Insurers should cover energy costs for prescribed medical equipment
Some Americans working from home during the pandemic noticed sizable increases in their monthly electric bills from increased energy use. But for patients like ours with advanced lung disease — and those living with other chronic conditions — who depend on medical equipment, large electric bills represent a monthly cost to simply stay alive.
Many people who require long-term extra oxygen at home use what is called an oxygen concentrator. These devices extract and concentrate oxygen from the air and deliver it through tubing connected to the nose. Concentrators can use more electricity than a refrigerator, and the cost for the extra electricity can add up quickly.
