Insurance won't pay for ice machine rental

[loribee59]

I don't have $250 to rent an ice machine, as my insurance (Regence BCBSO) won't pay for the rental...but they will pay for the CPM. go figure. Two years ago, they paid for the ice machine, which I used for a week. Are insurance getting miserly with their pay these days?

But I did end up taking home this gel pak (2 big gel packs and a velcro thingy to wrap around the knee) and hope that the insurance will pay for that.

I'm just P'O'd that I can't get a machine that would make a difference in how I recover from surgery.

Anyone ever ran into this kind of thing, and how it's resolved?

 

[Texas]

Yea I think a couple people bought one on Ebay lot cheaper I think its called polar ice......Ins didnt for me either. paid for the 1st surgery on. Then with the replacement...nope...

 

[loggon]

You call your insurance company and talk to them. Also have the surgeon write a scrip for one.

My ins. paid for mine.

Try ebay if all else fails

 

[loribee59]

You call your insurance company and talk to them. Also have the surgeon write a scrip for one.

My ins. paid for mine.

Try ebay if all else fails

if you read up, my insurance is BCBS. dunno if you had the same insurance, but if you can get them to pay for the ice machine..then I have hope.

 

[Josephine]

I had to buy my own. They don't give us such things on the NHS.

 

[loggon]

BCBS has so many different plans, it just depends what plan you have. It is always worth a try by calling your insurance company.

No I do not have BCBS, I have a plan on United Health Care and it is really great. We are very lucky.

 

[Texas]

Me too UHC....

 

[FrogFeathers]

I didn't know we could get an ice machine. I just bought bags of ice at the grocery store (well, had the husband and/or kids buy them). I used a lot of ice at first. I don't even know where we'd have put an ice machine! :hehe:

That stinks they won't pay... but its cool (no pun intended) that it is even an option!

 

[Steph]

You would think that these things would be provided as standard really as they help so much.

Initially I used a bag of frozen potatoe wedges out of my freezer cos it was the only unopened bag in there, then I moved onto frozen peas - far more comfy and less knobbly on my hip, lol. Never thought about buying an ice machine.

 

[cotton1958]

When I returned to my room after surgery 2 weeks ago, there were 2 machines in my room. I took them home with me, after buying one on ebay. So I ended up with too many.

I did not find out until I was literally leaving hospital/rehab, that my insurance covered nothing ambulatory, including no coverage on walker or wheelchair...latter which I don't think I will need anyway.

PT is still waiting on an ok for trip #2 to come out today. I've been back home 4 days. It's been very confusing, but I am doing well so feel like I have nothing to complain about....just have to wait.

 

[dcdowden]

The hospital sent me home with a Polar Care 300 with a knee wrap attachment. I found them new on the internet for about $200. I'm suspect that some people may be willing to sell them on Ebay for considerably less.
Doug

 

[Linda2]

Many insurances don't cover it, and BCBS is NOT the same plan for all. Their plans are as varied as all other plans put together and compared. You can do just fine with homemade ice packs or ebay finds. I have a Polar Care, but found the straps irritated the back of my leg.

 

[Dawnie]

I have an American style fridge freezer with 'ice on tap' so to speak, I'm hoping that will suffice.:skp:

 

[SissyG]

There are several of them on Ebay, the starting price is about $39.

If they don't send me home with one I will definetly bid for one on ebay.

 

[loggon]

Wow $39. that is cheap.
My OS wraped the ice water bag around my knee and then bandage on it to hold it in place. I could not figure why I looked like I had such a huge knee then they said the ice machine was hooked to the ice water pack around my knee. My insurance paid for it and I was
thrilled.

I have it stored away in case one of us needs it for anything. Great machine.

Sissy I don't know if you know but sure you do, just in case have your doctor write a scrip for you pain meds and go ahead and get them and have them at home when you get home from surgery.

 

[Josephine]

Dawnie - you can borrow mine! You'll need to get a your own new cuff though.

 

[Dawnie]

Jo, you are an absolute diamond.:wub:

 

[skigirl]

I have an ice machine from a previous surgery, but never used it---just get some gel packs---there is even a description of how to make them yourself somewhere on this site.

I would not worry about these machines--I never used a cpm after leaving the hospital on day two. You can ice with anything--gel packs are cheap and you don't need to buy some silly machine that will clutter up your house. I sometimes get caught up in perfectioninsm too--but, save your money and get some good books instead!!!

 

[Josephine]

I tried my gel packs when I had cellulitis and they weren't a patch on the Cryo-cuff for the simple reason that the cuff goes all the way around the knee making an even application of cold. Plus, for some strange reason, it seems to stay cold longer.

Actually, the cannister of the Cryo-cuff is just that, an insulated cannister that keeps the water cold for several hours and you can empty and refill the cuff as convenient. The Cryo-cuff isn't a machine. And I think what I paid out for mine was worth every single penny.

 

[cindy88fan]

My insurance would not cover a CPM or CRYO Cuff machine. I just used 4 bags of frozen peas...$1.09 per bag LOL.