Award-winning portable oxygen concentrator approved for reimbursement in France, Germany
Ball Ground, GA (November 11, 2020) – CAIRE’s award-winning FreeStyle® Comfort® portable oxygen concentrator has been awarded approval for reimbursement for healthcare systems in France and Germany, providing increased access to patients in the European Union’s two largest population centers. With the launch of the FreeStyle Comfort in Europe, CAIRE has further expanded the company’s product portfolio of oxygen therapy modalities with a state-of-the-art portable oxygen concentrator.
France’s governing body – the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) (French National Authority for Health) – has listed this oxygen therapy device on the Liste des Produits et Prestations Remboursables (LPPR), or List of Reimbursable Products and Services.
Germany’s governing body – the Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV or Statutory Health Insurance) –has listed this medical device on the Hilfsmittelverzeichnis.
The new approvals enable healthcare providers to receive appropriate reimbursement for the FreeStyle Comfort used commonly to provide long-term oxygen therapy to individuals with serious respiratory conditions, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Initiatives in both countries point to taking steps to improve the quality of patient care and guarantee equity within the healthcare system.
Devices like the FreeStyle Comfort seek to support the large population of individuals suffering from respiratory diseases in the EU. The European Lung Foundation and European Respiratory Society report that one in eight deaths in the EU are from respiratory diseases – roughly 600,000 people annually – and that respiratory diseases result in 6 million hospital admissions per year.[1] Portable oxygen concentrators, operational via battery or electrical power, take ambient air, filter it and then deliver up to 95 percent purified oxygen to the user. This convenience of being able to plug-in and recharge anywhere has contributed to portable oxygen concentrators increasing in popularity.
Well-known and trusted CAIRE oxygen therapy portable modalities already available in the European market include its market-leading liquid oxygen portables devices and the clinically-proven Eclipse 5® portable oxygen concentrator. In studies, the Eclipse 5’s patented autoSAT® technology is preferred by many patients because it adjusts oxygen delivery to deliver a consistent volume of oxygen with the patient’s breath rate during activity or at rest. The FreeStyle Comfort is the first wearable oxygen concentrator to incorporate that proprietary technology.
“The approval of reimbursement for the FreeStyle Comfort paves the way for yet another oxygen therapy solution offering portability and freedom and serving patient needs utilizing the latest in smart oxygen delivery technology and innovation,” said Earl Lawson, President and CEO of CAIRE Inc. “We seek to provide oxygen equipment to meet all patient needs no matter their clinical disease state and this device enables patients to enjoy life away from home with convenient access to the oxygen they need. This solution along with our complete portfolio secures our position as being the only global oxygen equipment manufacturer that covers the entire continuum of care for the patient.”
Credited with pioneering the first portable oxygen concentrator, CAIRE engineers designed the FreeStyle Comfort with an innovative ergonomic, curved shell, and delivery features to ensure oxygen is provided with each breath. Weighing only 5 lbs. and with an industry-leading battery life, this device offers on-demand oxygen flow and enhanced proprietary smart oxygen delivery features including CAIRE’s UltraSense® technology, which ensures that oxygen is delivered in conjunction with the patient’s breath rate, autoDOSE, which ensures delivery of oxygen even if no breath is detected, to help to ensure the clinical efficacy of the product and the previously mentioned autoSAT feature.
The device meets FAA guidelines for use on commercial air flights and offers wireless connectivity to CAIRE’s telehealth solution.
[1] Lung health in Europe, FACTS & FIGURES, A better understanding of lung disease and respiratory care in Europe, 2013.