Health Care Articles: Get the Facts Here

As a parent, you’re on top of your child’s health and needs. From every little sign such as a slight cough to simply feeling unwell, you know when your child is ill. However, the signs of needing a pediatric nebulizer can easily be missed.

You may need to get a nebulizer for your child if they have a respiratory disorder like asthma when the symptoms go beyond having a stuffy nose and watery eyes to cause the need for breathing assistance. Other conditions that may require a nebulizer include flu, chronic bronchitis, infection of the upper respiratory tract, COPD, and allergies.

Signs Your Child Needs a Nebulizer

Consider talking to your doctor about a child’s nebulizer device if your kid experiences one of the following symptoms:

Wheezing
Coughing
Shortness of breath
Rapid breathing
Chest pain
Difficulty breathing
Delayed recovery from bronchitis

Signs of asthma or respiratory disorders may vary greatly among children due to varying daily or seasonal triggers. It’s best to consult your doctor as soon as you notice any symptoms to prevent asthma attacks and damage to your child’s growing lungs. Often times doctors prescribe nebulizers for a breathing treatment.

How do Nebulizers Work?

Nebulizer machines work a little similar to inhalers by administering medicine into the lungs for respiratory relief. However, if your child is too little or afraid to use an inhaler they have the option of using a pediatric nebulizer, which makes treatment a lot easier.

Nebulizers atomize liquid medicine into an inhalable gas form, which can easily be inhaled by infants, toddlers, and children. Along with being easier to inhale, children’s nebulizers cause the medicine to dissipate into the lungs faster, to enter the bloodstream quicker and provide relief sooner.

Compressor nebulizers are the most popular type of breathing treatment for children because they provide a source of compressed air for aerosol therapy. It’s used with a jet (pneumatic) nebulizer to produce medicated aerosols for inhalation for pediatric patients.

How to Use a Nebulizer

Generally, treatment lasts for about 15 minutes every 6 hours. But as any parent knows, asking your young child to sit still and breath deep for fifteen minutes can seem like an impossible task.

7 Tips for Easier and Effective Nebulizer Treatment

Involve them in the choosing process if they are old enough. There are several kid-friendly models of nebulizers including panda bears, penguins, teddy bears, trains, and more.
Give the nebulizer a nickname and a personality. Let them decorate it with stickers if they choose. If a child is attached to the device, it can make treatment less stressful.
Buy extra masks for the whole family to wear, so your child will not feel alone during treatments.
Consider a pacific nebulizer attachment for infants. Pacifier nebulizer attachments can assist a baby in inhaling the medicine through nasal passages more efficiently.
Role Play: Pretend with your child that he or she is a firefighter, astronaut, pilot, or alien once the mask goes on and play along during treatment.
Have your child think of treatments as a special time. Pick a favorite book or game ahead of time and make it something to look forward to.
Stick to a schedule. Maybe even have a decorated calendar or funny alarm that sounds when it’s time for treatment. Making nebulizer treatments part of a routine will make them less daunting.

Benefits of a Pediatric Nebulizer

There are are many nebulizers for kids that have a fun design, such as a fire engine, kitty, or dragon. Instead of having to deal with a loud, intimidating machine, they can enjoy fun lights and sounds.

Plus, children’s nebulizers weight about 3.5 pounds, so they’re extremely portable, so your child can receive treatment anywhere. Many options are also battery operated and can utilize a power-port adapter in your car.

4 Benefits of Child Specific Nebulizers

Nebulizers max out around 3.5 pounds.
They have safety features designed with children in mind.
The masks are designed to better fit children’s smaller facial features
The machines are shaped in child-friendly designs. Some include cats, dogs, and other children’s characters

Receiving a Nebulizer Through Insurance

Most insurance companies provide reimbursement for many pediatric nebulizers. Just use our quick and easy online form to see if you qualify and we will take care of the rest. We will contact your doctor and insurance provider, and we quickly ship directly to your front door. Why wait? Take the steps toward helping your child breathe easier now.

Do you have your child’s back to school list? Are they prepared with notebooks, folders, pencils, and more? What about their nebulizer? As your child heads back to school, their asthma, allergies, and other respiratory issues will go with them to recess, gym class, and more.

Asthma is pretty common, affecting about 1 in 10 children. This along with other breathing disorders is one of the leading reasons why kids miss school, accounting for about 14 million absences per year.

But this doesn’t mean your child has to miss out or have their learning disrupted. Check out how to safely send them to school with their nebulizer machine.

The Back To School With Nebulizer Check List

See The Doctor

As summer break comes to an end be sure to schedule an appointment with your child’s doctor for a quick check-up. This will provide access to updated asthma medicine or breathing treatments.

You can also discuss an asthma action plan and when your child should stay home due to severe symptoms such as:

If they have a fever of 100 or 100F.
If asthma caused them to have a sleepless night.
If they have symptoms of a respiratory infection including a sore throat, productive cough, or swollen, painful neck glands.
If they have trouble breathing with hard or fast breaths, or can’t complete a full sentence.
If they’re wheezing, coughing, or have chest pain that doesn’t improve with nebulizer medicine or improves but worsens again.
If their peak flow score is under 80% of their personal best even after a breathing treatment.
If they seem too weak or tired to perform their normal activities.

Visit With The School

Go to your child’s school to discuss their medical needs with teachers, school nurses, coaches, and bus drivers, so they can assist your child if needed. Share your treatment plan and easy steps to prevent an asthma attack. This way your child will have a team of people to assist them with their asthma symptoms and breathing treatments and can fully participate at school. For example, if they need a breathing treatment before exercising, they can easily take their medicine and join the rest of the class during games and activities.

List Their Symptoms

Make sure your child and their teachers know what symptoms to look for in order to prevent and control breathing emergencies. Common symptoms of asthma attacks include:

Frequent coughing that worsens with exercise or cold air.
Whistling or wheezing while exhaling.
Shortness of breath.
Chest congestion or tightness.
Fatigue.
Trouble sleeping due to shortness of breath, coughing, or wheezing.

You and your child’s teachers should explain to your child that it’s perfectly fine to ask for help. In fact, encourage them. Let them know that they shouldn’t feel shy or will get in trouble when they need to visit the nurse in the event of an emergency.

Avoid Known Triggers

Explain to your child and their teachers what triggers need to be avoided such as:

Chalkdust
Other dusty areas
Pollen
Class pets
Cold air
Perfumes and other fragrances
Mold
Smoke

Make Sure Your Child Has Their Nebulizer

This may vary by state, but some schools are prepared to respond to life-threatening asthma emergencies, so when a breathing emergency occurs they can provide nebulized albuterol and call 911. However, the school nurse may have a designated nebulizer for your child to regularly use. Check with your school to learn about your polices.

With asthma or reactive airway diseases with medicine that should be used as needed, your child should have their own medical equipment and prescribed medicine during their normal routine.

While there are portable nebulizer models that fit in backpacks you can ask your provider to prescribe two nebulizer machines. One for home and one to leave at school. This way they will be prepared for breathing treatments before recess, lunch, or whenever they’re needed.

Plus, you may qualify for a nebulizer through insurance.

Why Use a Nebulizer Instead of an Inhaler?

While many children are able to use a quick-relief inhaler to ease asthma symptoms, sometimes nebulizers are easy to use. Children can be afraid to use inhalers or medicine can be hard to aim with them. Make sure your child is able to use an inhaler correctly by sending medicine directly to their lungs before they stop using their nebulizer.

Nebulizers are essentially air compressors that turn medicine into an inhalable mist. The medicine travels through a mask or mouthpiece worn by a child so they can easily inhale albuterol or other medications needed to treat breathing disorders.

Not only are they easier to use, but they often come in a variety of fun designs to comfort the child during treatment, including fire trucks, dragons, and kitty cats.

When To Seek Medical Attention

For children with respiratory disorders it’s crucial to seek medical attention when:

The child has to stop midsentence to catch his/her breath.
Is using abdominal muscles to breathe.
Has widened nostrils while inhaling.
Is attempting to breathe so hard that their abdomen is sucked under their ribs while inhaling.
If the child doesn’t respond to quick-relief medicine or the symptoms return 15 to 20 minutes after treatment.
If the child has blue/gray lips or fingernails.
If the child vomits.
If the child passes out.

Once you sign up with a durable medical equipment provider (DME) to receive equipment through insurance such as a CPAP machine, breast pump, or incontinence supplies, you may notice an option to join a resupply program. Which is a program you should definitely join to get the most benefits for your treatment?

What is Medical Resupply?

When you get a new car you may happily drive off into the sunset, but that’s not the end of the story. You have to remember to maintain that car in order to get more happy, comfortable miles out of it. A sticker on the windshield reminders you when your next oil change is, the gas light comes on when it’s time to fill up, you have to replace the tires when the tread is low, and more.

This helps your car operate like new for a longer amount of time and it’s also similar to how resupply works. Only your resupply items may be covered by insurance and will automatically arrive in the mail so you won’t have to remember to order them yourself.

Parts made out of plastic and other materials that may deteriorate, such as CPAP face masks or breast pump shields, will wear out over time. Plus, it’s not like you can reuse a catheter or adult pull-up. Clinical supplies and disposables should be discarded after use.

But these are examples of items that need to be replaced on a regular basis to keep your CPAP or breast pump functioning at high-quality levels. When the parts break down with use it may need to cracks in the plastic, air leaks, and more, preventing you from getting the most out of your treatment.

Plus, when items break down it becomes easier for harmful pathogens including allergens, viruses, molds, and bacteria to collect inside, increasing your risk of getting sick. Resupply has your health in mind.

Resupply also helps improve treatment compliance. One study showed that when sleep apnea patients were enrolled in a CPAP resupply program they were twice as likely to continue treatment. Which is great, because properly treating sleep apnea is crucial for their health.

With a quality DME, you won’t notice a decrease in your resupply products. While some businesses have been known to replace briefs with cheaper brands over time, we don’t cut those corners. Sign up to receive high-quality products that you trust and love on a regular basis.

Breast Pump Resupply

Because the World Health Organization recommends exclusively breastfeeding for six months before gradually introducing food to your baby while continuing to breastfeed for an entire year, you need to trust in your pump.

Breast pump motors are designed to only last for a year, but you can check your warranty to see how long yours is covered.

Breast pump supplies that need to be regularly replaced include:

Duck Valves or Membranes – The membrane or little white flap on top of the valves are made of soft silicone and can stretch over time, losing their elasticity. This may impact the suction power on your breast pump. If the membrane doesn’t lay flat it’s time to replace it. But these smaller pieces may not have any visual damage.

Flanges (Breastshields) – As your flanges are used and regularly cleaned the may crack and tear, then bacteria may build up in the crevices that can’t be fully sterilized, no matter how vigorously you clean them.

Tubing – Breast pump tubing may stretch or degrade over time, which can impact the suction strength of your pump. The tubing should be replaced when it easily slides on and off the motor backflow protector. Also, your tubing needs to be replaced if any moisture gets inside because there’s no way to sterilize it and the moisture could damage your breast pump motor.

Replace these parts every 90 days as a good rule of thumb. However, how often these supplies need to be replaced varies based on how frequently they’re used. An exclusive breast pumper that pumps about 9 times a day will wear her parts out faster than a mom that only pumps 2 to 3 times per day. Also, be sure to reference your breast pump manual for resupply recommendations. Guidelines may vary among different pumps.

CPAP Resupply

CPAP machines need to be replaced every five years to ensure the best treatment possible with advanced, modern machines. Plus, your CPAP works pretty hard as air and moisture pass through it, wearing down the parts over time.

Supplies such as your CPAP mask, tubing, cushions, humidifier chamber, and more that actually come into contact with your face and water need to be replaced more often. Not only does the humidity create the perfect environment for mold but the items become less effective as they degrade with night after night of use.

Refer to the CPAP replacement schedule for proven safety standards.

CPAP Replacement	Replacement Schedule
Full Face Cushions	Once a Month
Disposable Filters	Twice a Month
Nasal Cushion Pillows	Twice a Month
Oral, Nasal, Nasal Pillows, Full Face Masks	Once Every 3 Months
Tubing	Once Every 3 Months
Headgear and Chinstraps	Once Every 6 Months
Non-Disposable Filters	Once Every 6 Months
Humidifier Chamber	Once Every 6 Months
CPAP Machine	Once Every 5 Years

Edit Table

Incontinence Resupply

Incontinence resupply varies based on the type of products you receive on a monthly basis from catheters, adult pull-ups, chux, and more. The amount you receive also depends on your Medicaid coverage. For example, Vermont has a limit of 300 incontinence products per month but Alaska has a limit of up to 500 products per month.

Don’t fret, we will take a peek at your coverage and determine your options for you! We will also check in on a monthly basis via phone or email to see if you need to make any changes to your supply.

How To Receive Medical Resupply Products Through Insurance

Qualify for resupply items is easy! Just refer to the following steps.

Fill out our quick qualification form for your equipment.
We will verify your coverage and contact you with your options.
Relax as your items arrive at your home on a regular basis according to their resupply schedule!

Within the healthcare space when it comes to possibly partnering with or acquiring another business, requiring financial documents and reports to determine a variety of numbers and projections is a crucial step in the decision-making process. However, when it comes to durable medical equipment (DME) providers and similar entities it is imperative to look past the name and stats on paper to understand what sets them apart from others in order to drive success.

1. Atmosphere

While business is just that, a business, generally a unique ecosystem exists within its walls, full of working people. The culture that exists as a byproduct of the ecosystem can be the driving force between achieving the bottom line or closing the doors for good.

In the health industry, companies that have more successful cultures usually have a strong sense of patient care, as they should. Instead of being hyper-focused on sales or reaching out to more leads, individuals that take the time to ensure each patient is comfortable and taken care of promotes motivation and positivity.

Staff members play a major role in creating the experience that customers receive and often impact the reputation that a business begins to gain over time. While you can give the walls a fresh coat of paint and redecorate to give a business a new fell, it’s reputation can be difficult to transform.

Stakeholders will often want to continue maintaining relationships with the familiar culture of the business that they have come to know. Individual workers are apart of the legacy behind a business’s name and may be beneficial in impacting the future.

2. Supporting That Atmosphere

When acquiring another business or partnering with them, it’s beneficial to ensure patients receive the same exceptional customer service they have become accustomed to having. This will help ease the transition for routine customers.

By maintaining existing customer service and other business practices both parties are able to help to preserve the atmosphere created by a seller. Their business is their legacy, and oftentimes they don’t want to see it instantly fade away.

Sellers may prefer to work with buyers who seem interested in their business as an existing culture. Buyers should look past what’s on paper to see if the atmosphere will assist with growing their current goals for a seamless transition upon the changing of hands.

3. Investing In That Atmosphere

Customer service practices take a while to grow and perfect. Sellers don’t want to see the culture they have cultivated fade away as a buyer takes over communicating with existing patients.

Patients and their opinions carry a lot of weight towards business reputation. Many new potential customers rely on reviews to educate themselves about the business before making a decision.

Not only are existing patients have the ability to impact business reputation, but the seller may care for them as well. They have taken the time to craft a meaningful repertoire and care for their health. They will consider the buyer’s ability to continue providing exceptional care and nothing but the best customer service to ensure that their needs are continuously being met.

When sellers look at buyers, they should heavily consider their level of dedication. They should look at the seller as if they were the patient and ensure the values align with that of a potential provider to themselves. For sellers, it is important to ensure the company you are reviewing has fostered a caring and supportive environment for their patients.

Preserving Business Culture

When you buy a new car you don’t get the driver or family that used to ride in it. There aren’t any hints or personality or family memories still attached to it. Essentially you’re buying a shell for you to fill with your own culture.

But when purchasing a business, remnants of its culture and legacy are included. Learning the impact that the business has on consumers and as a part of the local community can reveal much more than numbers on another spreadsheet.

We are always striving to provide a great work environment for our employees, and this week we’re happy to announce that we have been recognized as a Great Place to Work! This award is entirely based on the feedback from employees here at Aeroflow!

Great Place To Work Survey Results

The Great Place to Work Institute surveyed employees about their thoughts on the workplace using a Trust Index survey that measured levels of trust, pride and camaraderie in the workplace as well as opinions on things like paid time off, vacation time and company perks.

The survey found that 76% of Aeroflow employees say their workplace is great. 90% of employees felt welcomed when they joined the company., and also positively rated the workplace for its good communication and great bosses. Employees also positively rated Aeroflow for offering great perks and amenities during and after work hours.

Here’s what our Director of Human Resources Marshall Staton had to say:

“Aeroflow’s continuous work to improve patients’ quality of life starts with our dedicated and passionate employees. Being certified as a Great Place to Work for the second year in a row validates Aeroflow’s emphasis on the employee experience and translates to a better experience for our customers. We will continue building on our company culture and our ability to provide our customers with exceptional customer service.”
Marshall Staton

New Mission Statement How Aeroflow Stands Out

At Aeroflow Healthcare our mission is to provide you with innovative home healthcare solutions that allow you to spend more time in your home while lowering healthcare costs and improving your quality of life. We do this while settling for nothing less than exceptional customer service.

"Aeroflow’s mission statement is a daily reminder of the company’s commitment to employees and patients alike. We will continue providing our employees with the resources necessary to exemplify Aeroflow’s updated core values of customer service, innovation, integrity, education, and community, our employees will directly advance that mission, and ensuring that our employees and patients remain satisfied with our organization as we continue to expand."
Marshall Staton

Aeroflow has a strong focus on community service, engagement with coworkers, and prioritizes physical and mental wellbeing. Employees have opportunities to participate in community services like Habitat for Humanity, donation drives, and blood drives.

If you are interested in working with us or want to recommend Aeroflow as a Great Place to Work to your friends, we’re always looking for awesome people to join our team. Check our Employment Opportunities to learn more.

Oxygen therapy allows patients to maintain their independence with the ability to to be treated in their homes and stick with their normal daily routine. Those who only use supplemental oxygen while sleeping may have it a little easier, than those who use it all the time, but your activities don’t have to be limited due to oxygen therapy. You can still participate in social activities, drive around town, and even travel with oxygen!

Traveling With Oxygen

Oxygen therapy at home doesn’t mean you have to stay home. While traditional oxygen tanks may be heavy, bulky, and difficult to transport without assistance, the portable oxygen concentrator (POC) provides supplemental oxygen without the hassle of maneuvering a large tank.

Portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) have smaller, portable tanks that can be carried in a discreet shoulder bag. They also issue a “pulse dose” or a regulated puff of air that is triggered when you inhale. This conserves oxygen because it doesn’t flow unless you’re breathing in order to help the tank last much longer.

POCs operate with a rechargeable battery that can be charged with an AC/DC power source, making them easy to charge from any location. Plus, they pull in air from the space around you and converts it into saturated oxygen, eliminating the need to worry about tank refills.

RV/Car Travel with Oxygen

Driving is the easiest way to travel with your oxygen supplies. But there are a few things to remember for your trip:

Find oxygen supplies along your route and take down their information so you’ll instantly know who to contact in the event of an emergency.
With a POC, keep the AC and DC charger cables with you. An extra battery can also be useful to have. Make sure your batteries are fully charged before leaving.
Store oxygen tanks or liquid oxygen properly in the back seat or floor by placing them upright, securing them, checking for leaks before leaving, and packing extra tanks. Make sure the tanks are in their carrying cases and kept out of direct sunlight or other sources of heat.
Never store your oxygen tanks in the trunk of your car where they could explode in the event of a rear-end collision.
Have emergency inhalers and medications nearby in case of an emergency.
Keep a window cracked to have a source of fresh air cycling through your vehicle to prevent oxygen from building up in the car.
When traveling at higher altitudes contact your doctor to see if you need to increase your supplemental oxygen.
Avoid flames. Don’t smoke near your oxygen tanks, or allow others too. Avoid campfires and other sources of open flames.

Oxygen on Buses and Trains

Obtain a physician’s clearance to travel. Also, carry your prescription to provide proper documentation.
Call your bus or train line about of time to learn their policies about traveling with oxygen and what additional documentation ahead of time. Many require you to notify them about carrying oxygen at least 24 hours in advance.
Try to book a seat near accessible power outlets.
Be sure to see how many oxygen tanks you can carry and plan ahead for delays and power outages. Different companies have varying policies with the size and weight of the tanks allowed on board.

Cruise Ships and Oxygen

Obtain a physician’s clearance to travel. Also, carry your prescription to provide proper documentation about your condition.
Contact the cruise liner three weeks in advance to let them know you’ll be traveling with oxygen and to learn their policies.
Make sure you bring enough batteries or tanks to last the entire trip and bring extra equipment in the event of a delay. Know where your chargers medications, and inhaler are stored.
Do not place your oxygen equipment on checked baggage. It could become lost or damaged and is often not allowed.
Arrive early in case your equipment needs to be inspected prior to boarding.
Make sure your batteries are fully charges before getting off the boat to enjoy shore destinations.

Flying with Oxygen Therapy

Invest in a Portable Oxygen Concentrator as oxygen tanks and liquid oxygen aren’t allowed on planes. Make sure your POC is FAA approved.
Obtain a physician’s clearance to travel. Also, carry your prescription to provide proper documentation about your condition.
Contact your airline in advance to tell them you’ll be traveling with oxygen and to learn their individual policies. Shop around and consider different policies. Some airlines may provide supplemental oxygen and some may require you to book a second seat for your equipment.
Try to obtain a seat with access to a power outlet in case your batteries need to be charged.
Fully charge your batteries before leaving and carry a backup.
Keep emergency medications and your inhaler on your carry on in the event of an emergency on the plane.
Contact your doctor to see if you’ll need to increase your supplemental oxygen as your plane reaches higher altitudes.
Give yourself extra time to go through security in case your equipment needs to be inspected and have enough power to withstand any potential delays.

3 Steps to Effortlessly Get Through TSA with Oxygen

Call the Airline. This can never hurt. If you call your airline, you can inform them that you will be traveling with Oxygen, CPAP, BiPAP, or Autopap therapy. This way they will be able to help you make special arrangements if needed.
Direct Flights. When flying directly, you only have to worry about one flight, storing your bags once, dealing with one flight crew and boarding and exiting the plane with all of your equipment one time. Though this isn’t always the cheapest method of travel, it should be considered for sake of ease when traveling with medical equipment.
Keep Your Unit Charged. Since you never know when you may need it, keeping your unit charged for the flight is always a good idea. A standard rule to follow is multiply how many hours your flight will take by 1.5. That is a good gage for the number of hours you should be charged.

Investing in a Portable Oxygen Concentrator

If you know that you want occasional travel to be a part of your lifestyle, then the Portable Oxygen Concentrator may be the next best upgrade for you. Choosing a portable concentrator can have a lot of great benefits for those of us who like to stay active and adventure often. With its lightweight and compact design, this type of concentrator can be a life changer when it comes to your independence!

A few things to consider when choosing a concentrator:

•   Deciding when, where, and how you want to travel.
•   Speaking with your physician about your plans to ensure that you are healthy enough to travel.
•   Obtaining a copy of your oxygen prescription to keep with you during your trip.

Best Portable Oxygen Concentrators

For brands of portable oxygen concentrators that provide a continuous flow, consider the following choices:

Oxlife
Devilbliss IGO
Sequal Eclipse
Invacare SOLO2

Brands that provide both continuous flow and pulse oxygen:

Respironics SimpleGo

Smaller and lighter POC brands include:

Lifechoice
Drive Oxus Reliability
Precision EasyPulse
Inogen One G2

Over 10 million people are diagnosed each year with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Millions more are diagnosed with other serious lung disorders such as asthma and emphysema. Many of these individuals are treated with oxygen therapy.

People with Medicare can rest assured that Medicare covers oxygen therapy. However, there are some rules and guidelines that you will want to follow to ensure coverage for your items are approved.

Part B Durable Medical Equipment

Durable medical equipment like oxygen pumps are covered under Medicare Part B. Part B covers not only equipment but also many other outpatient services like doctor visits, lab testing, diagnostic imaging, medical supplies, and even outpatient surgeries.

In order for Medicare to cover your oxygen therapy, Medicare must prescribe the therapy for you and document why he believes it is medically necessary.

Usually, your doctor will conduct some testing to measure the level of gas in your blood. He can also document other therapies that you may have tried which have failed to improve your health.

For your part, you will need to use a Medicare-approved DME supplier when ordering your equipment. This not only meets Medicare’s rules but is also in your favor because Medicare has negotiated the lowest pricing possible with these vendors.

Other Related Equipment

While Medicare normally doesn’t cover items like humidifiers, Part B may pay for a humidifier when there is a medical need for someone to use them with their oxygen equipment.

Rental of ventilators may be covered by Medicare when treating for certain conditions such as chronic respiratory failure that is subsequent to COPD.

Your doctor and supplier must document medical necessity, the payable diagnosis, and ventilator settings to be used and the supplier should also outline a backup plan in case the ventilator was to break down.

Details for Using Oxygen DME

When it comes to oxygen equipment, Medicare will pay for you to rent this durable medical equipment. Your rental covers both the oxygen equipment and the other necessary accessories such as tubing, mouthpieces, and masks.

After 3 years, Medicare will stop paying the rental fee, but the Medicare supplier must still continue to supply you with both maintenance and accessories to go with your equipment for the next 2 years. The supplier cannot invoice you for these services. Finally, at the end of 5 years, the DME supplier doesn’t have to continue providing your oxygen equipment or the maintenance required for it. At this point, you will start over on a new 3- year period either with the same DME supplier or a new one, if you prefer.

Your Cost-Sharing Under Medicare

Part B will pay for 80% of the cost of your oxygen therapy equipment after you have first satisfied the annual deductible of $185 (in 2019).

You are responsible for paying the other 20%. However, if you are also enrolled in a Medicare supplement, then your supplement policy will generally pay some or all of this coinsurance for you depending on which plan you purchased.

We should also mention that some DME supplies accept Medicare’s assigned rates while others may be non-participating providers who do not accept Medicare’s assigned rates. If your provider does not accept assignment, you may be responsible for paying up to a 15% excess charge on your equipment.

There are a couple of Medicare supplement plans that cover excess charges for you, such as Medicare Supplement Plans F and G. Consider one of these if you want to be sure that any excess charges will not fall to you to pay.

What about Portable Oxygen Concentrators?

Unfortunately, Medicare will not pay for a portable oxygen concentrator if you are already using Medicare’s oxygen rental benefit. The reason for this is that Medicare pays the supplier the same amount whether the supplier gives you a portable tank or a portable concentrator.

Since the tanks are considerably less expensive than the concentrators, most DME suppliers will only provide you with tanks because it is cheaper for them to do so.

If this is truly an inconvenience, ask your supplier if they offer smaller liquid tanks that could also be billed to Medicare Part B.

Women are taking the workforce by storm and make up nearly 47% of all workers as they expand into more unconventional roles. 70% of those women are working moms that often struggle to maintain both their career and breastfeeding goals, due to the stigmas attached to mothers in the workplace. However, employers can relieve that stress by easily supporting their workings moms and often benefit with an ROI of 3:1 with resulting lowered healthcare costs, decreased turnover rates and increased productivity.

The Benefits Of Supporting Working Moms

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their infants for six months, then to continue breastfeeding while gradually introducing food for up to a year. This is because breast milk naturally contains essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, making it the perfect baby food. It helps babies build immunity and protects them against viruses.

However, according to a recent survey working moms aren’t getting the necessary support to fulfill their breastfeeding goals. Out of nearly 1,000 expectant or breastfeeding mothers, many felt like their job could negatively impact their breastfeeding goals.

63% of moms felt as if there is a stigma attached to breastfeeding moms at work.
47% considered making a career change due to needing to breast pump at work.
49% of mom worried that breastfeeding at work could impact their career.

By taking a few simple steps to create a lactation room and supporting working mothers’ breastfeeding journeys, there are exceptional benefits for families and employers.

Breastfeeding Benefits for Mom:

Many physically recover from giving birth at a quicker rate than mothers who don’t breastfeed.
Save up to $1,500 during the first year by not having to purchase formula.
Increases the ability to bond with their baby.
Lowers the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, certain types of breast cancer, and ovarian cancer.

Benefits For Baby:

Lowered risk of developing childhood obesity or leukemia.
Lowered risk for allergies, asthma, or SIDS.
Reduced risk of costly, common infections such as gastroenteritis, ear infections, respiratory infections, and intestinal infections by 50%.

Benefits For Employers:

Healthcare Savings:

One company benefited from annual savings of $240 thousand in reduced healthcare costs after implementing a supportive breastfeeding program.

Prescription pharmacy costs were reduced by 62%.

Program participants averaged the cost of $1,269 per newborn while nonparticipants average $3,415 per newborn.

Increased Productivity:

Savings of $60k were generated due to a 77% reduction in lost work after implementing a lactation program.

Another company reduced its absenteeism rate from the national average of missing 9 days of work, due to caring for a sick infant, down to only 3 days.

Decreased Turnover Rate:

83% of employers reported feeling more positive about their workplace.

67% of workers wanted to stay with the company as their longtime employer.

Partnering With Aeroflow To Support Working Moms

Let us assist you in showing your moms that you care as an employer and empower them by assisting with the process of receiving a breast pump through insurance.

Once a mother is expecting, she can simply notify the HR department to receive her portable breast pump, which will help her express milk at work. Some employers provide two pumps, one for the mother to use at work and one at home, so they don’t have to tote them back and forth every day.

Also, as employers understand the different types of breast pumps available, they can better suit the needs of their moms by providing a hospital grade pump for preventative care if needed.

We will navigate insurance policies to ensure your moms receive the perfect pumps at little to no cost as you benefit from truly supported moms with cost savings and increased rates of engagement.

As a breast pump expert and advocate for breastfeeding rights and education, we can guide your lactation room design, provide in-service courses for education, and partner to create emails to go out to your new expectant mothers, assisting them with what to consider while they’re expecting.

Creating A Lactation Room

The process of implementing a supportive breastfeeding program doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. All you need is a few simple items to help your working moms feel comfortable and accepted.

Basics of the perfect breast pumping room include:

A private room with a locking door.
A comfortable chair.
Surface to place breast pumps and accessories.
Relaxing lighting and art on the walls.
Mini fridge for milk storage.
Microwave for pump sanitation.
Schedule for moms to work out their pumping times.
Access to electrical outlets.

In order to create a proper lactation policy, it’s important that you refer to the law in terms of providing reasonable break time for moms to express breast milk, as well as a private space for the purpose of breast pumping.

Be sure to put a swift end to any negativity overheard about mothers taking frequent breaks to pump during the day. Moms will need about 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, depending on their pumping schedules.

A few general guidelines to consider include:

Allow employees to use the lactation room for up to one year after their infant’s birth.
Do not disturb breastfeeding employees while they’re using the lactation room.
Employees should make their managers aware of their pumping schedule.
Employees that use their lunch breaks or paid break times should be compensated as usual.
Supervisors and the HR department are obliged to communicate this policy.
All employees should support new moms. Do not tolerate comments, disturbance, or victimization.

Need help implementing a policy for your moms? Contact Aeroflow Healthcare!

Wound therapy can often be both expensive and difficult for the patient. Recent developments in Negative Pressure Wound Therapy or “Wound-vacs” have provided an alternative solution for the patient that can be very effective and cost-efficient. Many different types of wounds, either chronic or acute, can now be treated utilizing this therapy. You can even use this breakthrough technology in the comfort of your own home.

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy can help people heal faster, discharge from the hospital sooner, and thereby save healthcare costs.

What Is Negative Pressure Wound Therapy?

A therapeutic technique using a vacuum dressing to promote healing in acute or chronic wounds. Therapy is performed by applying controlled sub-atmospheric pressure evenly to the local wound environment, using a sealed wound dressing connected to a vacuum pump.

Who Is A Candidate For Negative Pressure Wound Therapy?

Candidates for negative pressure wound therapy include individuals suffering from:

Chronic ulcers caused by unrelieved pressure (bedsores), diabetes mellitus, venous insufficiency or arterial insufficiency
Wounds with copious drainage
Chronic wounds that have not responded to other treatments
Acute or surgical wounds at high risk for infection

Negative pressure wound therapy can be used on wounds such as: open fractures, infected wounds, skin grafts, pressure ulcers and more.

Where Can I Get A Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Machine For Home Use?

Aeroflow Healthcare can provide a NPWT machine, as well as foam and gauze wound dressing kits, combined with multiple drain options. Aeroflow Healthcare offers the Invia Liberty by Medela and the Avance by Medela therapy options. Patients looking for more information about NPWT home treatment should complete the qualify form on our website, or purchase one here.

When Is Negative Pressure Wound Therapy No Longer Necessary?

The best sign of treatment completion is when there are no clinical signs of active infection at the wound site. Your doctor will work with you to determine the most successful treatment plan. Any questions about discontinuing Negative Pressure Wound Therapy treatment should be discussed with your physician.

How Does A Negative Wound Pressure Therapy Machine Work?

Foam dressings apply mechanical forces to the wound to create an environment that promotes wound healing. These forces are known as macrostrain and microstrain.

Macrostrain is the visible stretch that occurs when negative pressure contracts the foam. It draws wound edges together, provides direct and complete wound bed contact, evenly distributes negative pressure, and removes infectious substances.

Microstrain is the microdeformation at the cellular level, which leads to cell stretch. It reduces edema, promotes perfusion, and promotes granulation tissue formation by facilitating cell migration and proliferation.

Exciting news Lymphies! Kathy Bates is advocating for you as the spokesperson for the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) in order to have more lymphedema research performed and to gain more insurance coverage for treatment and equipment.

Kathy Bates Testifies For Improved Lymphedema Treatment

Kathy Bates and an army of strong, dedicated activists made their way to Capitol Hill to advocate for misunderstood lymphatic diseases as planning for 2020 fiscal year takes place. Lymphedema has been under-diagnosed, under-treated, and largely ignored for too long, but now with Kathy Bates leading the charge, she may be able to inspire the necessary change needed to improve the lives of fellow patients struggling with diseases.

Seven years ago, Kathy Bates was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a double mastectomy, her surgeons felt it necessary to remove 19 lymph nodes from her left armpit and 3 from the right. This is a common cause of lymphedema, and even though Kathy is grateful to still have her life and to be cured of cancer, she now struggles with a life long condition, lymphedema.

You are not alone in facing common lymphedema symptoms, as Kathy has also faced swelling, mobility, hospitalization for potentially fatal infections, time-consuming daily care regimens, and purchasing expensive compression garments.

Through her personal journey, Kathy learned that over 10 million Americans suffer from lymphatic diseases and it should be made clear to Congress that more treatment options are desperately needed.

Many develop lymphedema after experiencing cancer treatment, including ⅓ of breast cancer survivors, and thousands with ovarian cancer. For some it’s congenital, and veterans get the disease from trauma infections.

Lymphedema currently has no cure in sight and no approved drug therapy. Only three studies have been performed worldwide to seek new lymphedema treatments, as patients silently suffer and their disease progresses.

Through the lymphie network, Kathy heard many inspiring stories that motivated her to continue the fight by asking Congress to:

Provide the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with $41.6 billion for the 2020 fiscal year and advance lymphatic disease research by expanding resources and encouraging better coordination among relevant Institutes and Centers.
Establish a National Commission on Lymphatic Disease Research at the NIH to identify emerging opportunities, challenges, gaps, structural changes, and recommendations on lymphatic disease research.
Provide the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with $7.8 billion for FY 202 and enable programmatic activity on lymphatic disease education and public awareness.
Expand access to compression garments by requesting passage of the Lymphedema Treatment Act this year. Although this Committee doesn’t deal with insurance issues, we believe it’s important to concurrently make the case for the passage of the LTA.

About LE&RN

The Lymphatic Education & Research Network is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1998 to fight lymphatic disease and lymphedema through education, research, and advocacy. LE&RN provides valuable educational resources to millions of patients suffering from lymphatic diseases. They also foster and support research that will expand the medical community’s understanding of the lymphatic system.

We Can Help With Insurance

If you’re suffering from lymphedema we can help you qualify to receive a lymphedema pump through insurance. Simply fill out our online form and we will review your coverage and options with you. Then we will submit all of the necessary paperwork to your providers and guide you through the process to qualify for the medical supplies you need.

We will continue to advocate for lymphedema awareness and assist patients in qualifying for the medical supplies they need to help patients experience an improved quality of life!

A knee brace can be worn for a variety of reasons. One of the most popular reasons often involves a painful injury. Others choose to wear a knee brace to prevent an injury as is the case in many sports like weight lifting or running.

Stay active & healthy with a knee brace

While there are a variety of knee braces for you to choose from, it is also important to understand that a good knee brace can support your decision to stay active.

5 ways a knee brace can help you to commit to being healthier:

If you suffer from arthritis or other structural knee problems, you should know that wearing an unloader or offloader knee brace may be able to help you in your quest to stay active.
Certain warm-up exercises before engaging in low-impact exercise may require a knee brace to prevent injury. A simple exercise like a stand up where you are stepping up and down a set of steps to warm up your heart and leg muscles will be a lot easier if done while wearing a knee brace.
One of the best exercises to address knee pain is simply to walk. Your doctor will be able to help you to decide what brace is best for your body type so that you can engage in walking or other low-impact exercises.
A good knee brace is often important to keep your leg muscles and ligaments in good condition. However, if you are not wearing the right shoes, you may be causing further damage. Visit your local sporting goods store to get professionally fitted for sneakers that will fit your activity.
A knee brace can help to improve your posture. It may not be obvious at first, but knee pain can impact our posture in ways that can hurt our back. Your head ideally should be centered over your shoulders while your shoulders are center over your abdomen and pelvis.

Four Types of Knee Brace:

Prophylactic: These knee braces help the wearer to prevent injury during contact sports like football.
Functional: These knee braces are worn by those who have already suffered an injury.
Rehabilitative: This category of knee braces is worn to limit movement in those who have suffered an injury or is recovering from a surgery.
Unloader or Offloader: This knee brace helps to relieve pain and inflammation in those with arthritis in the knees.

Your doctor will be able to help you decide which category of the knee brace is right for your condition and circumstances.

Being healthy is about a lot more than just going on a diet. You want to make sure that your body is supported by using health aids like a knee brace so that you can avoid injury. Medicare and other private insurance may be able to help curb the cost of your next knee brace purchase, so get started today to find your perfect solution! If insurance doesn’t cover your knee brace, buy one today at a discount price. Shop now!

Dust, pet dander, pollen, and smoke. Each of these words can strike fear in the hearts of those who suffer from seasonal allergies, depending on what season it is. However, allergies aren’t only for adults to worry about. They can affect your children as well. If you find them coughing or wheezing as the seasons change, they may need a nebulizer for allergies and asthma. Sometimes, the treat isn’t just seasonal. Allergens and asthma can attack all year round.

Nebulizer For Allergies And Asthma

How Allergens Contribute To Asthma

When allergens such as pet dander enter the body through your nose, lungs, skin, or eyes, your body creates chemicals called lgE antibodies and release histamines. Histamines try to remove the allergens by causing inflammation, swelling, watery or itching eyes, a runny nose, and sneezing. In some cases, allergic asthma may cause the immune system to overreact and tighten the airway muscles. As a result, the airways can become inflamed and flooded with thick mucus, leading to symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, rapid breathing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.

Spring And Summer Allergens

Pollen is everywhere you look in the spring and summer. For months flowers, trees, grasses, grains, and more release pollen in the air, causing people to sniffle, sneeze, and wheeze. On top of that, even if you think you’re safe, away from all of the blooms, pollen can travel for miles and set off your histamines. Then physical activities that involve running through the grass or using your lawnmower can stir up these particles, causing them to settle on multiple surfaces from your clothes, the walls, vehicles, and more.

You may think it’s safe to relax when the spring/summer showers begin to wash all that pollen away, but the rain actually promotes the growth of weeds and other plants. The wind accompanying rainstorms can also stir up and spread particles.

In the summer warmer days promote the release of pollen, especially from grasses. Which is why hay fever often occurs during summer, when it’s time to cut hay.

Smog tends to be worse during the summer as it creates ozone at the ground level as car exhausts and fumes spread chemicals into the air. The calm winds of summer and strong sun do little to disperse these particles, leaving smog to settle like clouds.

Fall And Winter Allergens

In the fall as we run the heater for the first time in months and the damp leaves fall to the ground you may start to notice your eyes becoming itchy or a little difficulty breathing. This is because ragweed pollen is released in the fall and can travel for miles. Even if you don’t live near ragweed the pollen can find you. Plus, the damp leaves create the perfect environment for mold.

In the winter, turning the furnace on sends mold and dust up into the air. Plus, more dust collects and dust mites may run rampant. Also, you probably spend more time indoors with your pets who you might be allergic to.

Cold dry air can worsen asthma. Plus, when it’s cold, people have more sinus issues and upper respiratory infections that can trigger and worsen attacks.

Also, allergies can contribute to asthma and trigger attacks or make attacks worse. This is known as allergic asthma or allergy-induced asthma. If you’re allergic to mold, dander, dust, and more, inhaling them causes your body to release histamine. Swelling, inflammation, coughing, sneezing, mucus, and more may occur as a result, making it more difficult to breathe.

How Do Nebulizers Help?

Nebulizers are essentially an asthma machine even though they provide breathing treatments for a variety of lung conditions such as chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, and more.

Nebulizer machines are for patients who need breathing treatments to help them easily breathe on their own. There are electric and battery-powered portable nebulizers that you can easily carry with you to use at a moment’s notice.

They have a base that holds an air compressor, a container for liquid medicine, tubing to connect the medicine and compressor, and a mouthpiece or mask. Nebulizers work by turning liquid medicine into an inhalable mist.

Users simply have to hold the mask to their face and inhale, making nebulizers an easy to use option for children that are too young for inhalers or those with severe asthma.

Nebulizer treatment generally consists of sitting still for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day. A metered dose of the medicine is quickly pumped into your throat to inhale and absorb for quick relief.

Typical inhalable nebulizer medicines include:

Albuterol
Ipratropium
Budesonide

Receiving Your Nebulizer Through Insurance

You might be able to have your nebulizer machine covered by insurance. Simply fill out our quick qualification form to get started and we will contact you with your options. Then we will speak with your insurance company and doctor to make sure everything is taken care of to have your nebulizer shipped right to your front door! We carry pediatric nebulizers and nebulizers for adults.

Preventing Allergies And Asthma

In the fall and winter months, along with getting your nebulizer, there are a few steps you can take to reduce irritation and prevent allergy attacks.

Clean on a regular basis to get rid of dust and allergens. Wash the binds and curtains. Wash your bedding at least once a week. Sweep, mop, and vacuum often.
Avoid sitting near fires. You could be allergic to it, it can irritate your sinus cavities, and it triggers asthma attacks.
Take a shower before going to bed. During the day your hair and clothes collect dust and allergens that you don’t want to put in your sheets, which is why you should rinse off!
Wear a mask to filter out pollen while doing outdoor activities.
Check the pollen report before considering outdoor activities. If you decide to still exercise outdoors during a high pollen alert, avoid obvious triggers.
Pollen is most active in the mornings and evenings, so plan your outdoor activities accordingly to avoid those times.
If you exercise outdoors during the winter, warm up for about 20 minutes inside first to prepare your lungs for the shock of the cold air.
Bundle up before exposing yourself to cold temperatures. Use a scarf or facial wrap to keep the air you inhale warm.
Stay healthy by exercising, eating fruits and veggies, washing your hands regularly, and by getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night to help fend off colds and flu.
Change your air filter to prevent dust, mold, and allergens from recirculating into the air. Also, you can use a dehumidifier to kill dust mites.
Use your nebulizer on a regular basis. Using it at the same times every day will reduce the chance of having an asthma attack.
Use allergy or asthma medications as directed by your doctor.