Dr. Grumpy: "How did the oxygen work for your cluster headaches?"
Mr. Scheele: "Great! It knocked them right out. But I need another tank."
Dr. Grumpy: "They should last a while... How often do you have to use it?"
Mr. Scheele: "Oh, not that often. It's for my dog. He has lung problems, and it's cheaper to get a tank through you than my vet."
Really can't argue with that logic, it's not like there is a special human grade 02
ReplyDeleteI probably shouldn't admit this, but I can totally relate to this. The vet can be sooooo expensive!! Where the man went wrong is in telling you what he was doing. Though, I can only imagine how he must administer the O2 to the dog. Nasal canula, perhaps?
ReplyDeletelisten I love my animals but there is no way I am sharing anything, he better have his own tubes, atleast! I wonder if oxygen would help my migraines...
ReplyDeleteThe problem as I see it is that when he gets it "through" Dr. Grumpy, his medical insurance is paying for it. He is defrauding the insco if he is using it on his dog but claiming it is for him. As far as administering to the dog, he could be using nasal cannula or face mask or some type of O2 tent or chamber, really. Generally speaking though O2-dependent pets are not discharged to the home setting unless/until they are no longer O2 dependent. At least, MY patients aren't. I've never prescribed O2 for home use.
ReplyDeleteAs VBB noted, this is insurance fraud....and hundreds of "little" actions like this are another driving force behind insurance premiums. Bad enough we have to take the $239 Amoxil tab to cover those with health coverage as an inpatient, but I'll be gosh-darned if I want my premiums going up because Rover needs 02 and this idiot is too cheap to pay the vet what he/she is worth in CASH.
ReplyDeletePattie, RN
Exactly, VBB.
ReplyDeleteToo bad pet health insurance isn't better yet. And too bad that people don't realize/know the pre-insurance prices of their own medical care so they could understand just how expensive medical care actually is.
Then maybe I wouldn't be given snide remarks about what I charge for exams and vaccines.
My CAPTCHA is compar...fitting.
Probably cheaper yet at the welding supply store....
ReplyDeleteI agree with the negative bunch here. At a minimum it is misdemeanor insurance fraud, and possibly worse if it is any kind of government sponsored plan like Medicare, Medicaid or TriCare. Be careful Dr. G, be careful.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking a SCUBA store would be better than welding, but pure O2 should be pure O2.
ReplyDeleteBeing "self pay" on both self and pets the whole insurance aspect never dawned on me. My bad.
Still can't fault his logic, minus any insurance aspects
Dude, I never said I would *actually* do this. I just said I could relate to the sentiment. Of course it is fraud and it is wrong and the guy shouldn't do it.
ReplyDeleteOK I think we have covered our butts on the aiding and abetting insurance fraud front now.
ReplyDeleteFraud is bad. M'kay....
In the past, oxygen for welding came from a different industrial process than oxygen for aviation, diving and medical use. This is no longer the case in the US, as all suppliers now produce it by fractional distillation of liquid air.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it should be noted that there's nothing preventing welding gas suppliers from providing you with unsafe oxygen, so, it's manifest an at-your-own-risk thing.
I see a service dog with a grey muzzle with his own O2.call me crazy
ReplyDeletewv cundi not going there
Call me crazy! But i see two old grey veterans with 02 generators,one is his service dog.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that Dr Google diagnosed his dog's need for O2- I'm a vet & have yet to rx O2 for a dog. Cats, yes, but that's another story. On the flip-side I used to have clients ask all the time for antibiotics for themselves. Never gave them to them, but had lots of requests.
ReplyDelete