Veteran upset with oxygen supplier’s new delivery schedule
Editor’s note: ABC-7 was unable to obtain a response to Mr. Cunningham’s concerns by deadline on Wednesday. On Thursday, the company’s general counsel, Steven Burres, said “The company is saddened and surprised by his remarks. We’ve never deprived anyone of oxygen. We offered to deliver the same amount of oxygen he has been getting in his weekly deliveries in one combined delivery every two weeks to accommodate him. We encourage him to reach out to the company headquarters if he has any further complaints.”
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
A retired veteran in Las Cruces tells ABC-7 he now has a limited supply of oxygen and his supplier says it will not deliver unless he goes through the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Air Force Veteran Rick Cunningham said he goes through nine small tanks of oxygen each week. Cunningham says that, on Monday, he was told there would be no more weekly deliveries.
Cunningham told us his Oxygen supplier, Rotech, explained it will only deliver oxygen every 90 days unless he goes through the VA. Cunningham uses Medicare and Tricare, and told us there’s been no change to his coverage that would lead to this.
ABC-7 visited the Rotech office in Las Cruces to ask if there was a change in policy. A woman walked out of the office and told ABC-7 to leave the property.
Cunningham said he’s working through the VA paperwork and he qualifies, but would prefer not having to go through the VA so that his spot goes to those with more need.
“I can use the VA, but I don’t and this is the reason I don’t do it. It’s because people that need it that didn’t have 20 years, younger guys that are from Afghanistan and don’t have a leg and they need that treatment, because the VA is, let’s face it, they’re overwhelmed. Everybody knows that. So I don’t do that and I haven’t,” he said.
