The Situation
“Because of my COPD, I need concentrated oxygen to breathe. The tank I used was too heavy for me to move easily, did not last very long, and insurance only provided two tanks each month. I was completely tied to my house,” said Shirley Rice, a customer of Discount Medical Equipment (DME) in Wickenburg, Arizona, outside of Phoenix. She continued, “My friend was already using her second portable oxygen concentrator (POC), and she lent me her old unit. It was an older model, small, but what a difference! I needed to return it but did not want to go back to big, heavy tanks.”
The Solution
Shirley discussed buying a new POC model with her trusted medical equipment representative, Ruben Lopez, an expert in medical equipment. When talking with his OxyGo manufacturer’s representative, Ruben learned about OxyCare Total Advantage financing, a program offered through United Consumer Financial Services (UCFS). Shirley’s insurance did not cover the POC cost and she was not in a financial position to purchase the unit with cash nor on a credit card. When Lopez suggested financing, she was excited! He visited her home, they completed the credit application, and several minutes after submitting it to UCFS, Shirley was approved for monthly payments.
The Results
Shirley said, “Financing made it possible to make the purchase right away. And the payments are very manageable – $100 a month. The first time I left the house with my OxyGo I felt completely liberated! We were away from home the whole day. It was a life-changer – can’t believe what I’d been missing!”
For DME, financing has opened up a whole new avenue of revenue. Ruben said, “These are sales I would never have made without the financing option. For customers who want to change to an OxyGo after their insurance or Medicare has already covered large oxygen tanks and coverage won’t begin for a new model for several more years, or purchase their own unit to be assured their POC won’t be taken away, this option is fabulous. Otherwise, they’d be tied to large tanks and their homes until insurance or Medicare coverage can start again. We’re financing other medical equipment through UCFS also! This is a win-win for our customers and our business – changing lives and increasing sales!
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OxyGo is a registered trademark of Applied Home Healthcare Equipment LLC.