My Trip with NxStage System One

Here I share with you some photos of my trip with NxStage System One…800 mile drive for 3 days…

All nicely setup ready for treatment at “Western Royale”

As you can see the machine fits as is in the trunk of a car

Upload Photo With PicTiger

Way to go Gus… Knowing NxStage patients travel with their machine sure is a teaser.

That’s very interesting Gus. I hear a lot about the portability of NxStage but not too often from people who actually do travel with it. Just a couple of questions.

What do you do for your dialysate bags, dialyzer cartridges, etc. ? I imagine that for a 3 day drive, you would just bring enough with you, but for a longer trip, would nxstage deliver them wherever you are, like Baxter does for PD supplies?

Does your dialysis unit or whatever ask for an itinerary? If you run into technical problems, I guess you phone the same people you would if you were at home, but what if you have to dialyze in-centre while you’re away? Who arranges that?

Pierre

Marty@ :stuck_out_tongue: …sure is a teaser. Just think about it…dialysis doesn’t have to be just at home…I can take it with me where I need to go…I think NxStage System One Has shown what is coming in a few years from now, true portability. Dialysis will eventually get smaller and smaller that you won’t even need a partner to operate.

Pierre@ True, I know there are many other NxStage users out there that travel with it, but am the only one online to let the world know about it.

What do you do for your dialysate bags, dialyzer cartridges, etc. ?

They’re in the car as well…3 boxes in trunk and 3 boxes on back seat…cartridges are quite slim that they fit anywhere…all other misc items like needles, tape, gauze or so tiny that they fit in a small box or purse…

I imagine that for a 3 day drive, you would just bring enough with you, but for a longer trip, would nxstage deliver them wherever you are, like Baxter does for PD supplies?

[b]
We drove 800 miles and spend 3 days away from home, not 3 days on the road…took 5 hours to get back home…

If I wanted to stay longer I would contact NxStage to deliver extra supplies to my new location…am sure they know where I am…I bet those machine have a GPS tracking device…[/b]:stuck_out_tongue:

Does your dialysis unit or whatever ask for an itinerary? If you run into technical problems, I guess you phone the same people you would if you were at home, but what if you have to dialyze in-centre while you’re away? Who arranges that?

[b]
Not at all, am on my own and plan on my own, but if I were to take a very long vacation, perhaps a month I would contact them…

If I ran into technical problems I would call NxStage…for short 3 days travels is no BIG deal and if the machine ever broke in 3 days all I do is call NxStage to get another machine in less than 24 hours…[/b]

WAY TO GO GUS!!! PLEASE SOMEONE BRING THEM DOWN TO OZ REAL SOON! 8) 8) 8)

I’ll second that, Beachy!!! I actually enquired about the cost of them on ‘that other’ site, where he is getting one himself (got no answer, btw).
I’ve asked @ my unit. The water tech. says she thinks they have some being evaluated in Sydney. So they’re getting closer.
Would love to be able to take a surf (or any other kind!) trip with this sort of setup!!

Bear!
hello there, so glad you could join us here. It will be great to have another Aussie to chat with and you live so close if I remember rightly.
Stay in touch.
Cheers
8)

I know NxStage is expanding and that takes time. As you know NxStage came out with this machine not long ago, so taking it to other market areas takes some time to process. You know how those government paper work and proceedings can last for a while, but am sure you will see this machine over there.

Also, they need to setup distribution channels over there and of course a support center over there. That way when your machine breaks down over there they don’t send one from USA…the whole point is having support services closer to your area, so that that takes time.

The good news is that almost everyone wants one and that means good news for NxStage for them to be able to expand to other markets.

There pretty pricey Gus so even though everyone wants one still here in the USA some centers won’t use them because of price.

I think small clinics operated by an individual would not workout, but BIG corporated dialysis clinics are capable…

Down here ours (apart from the odd private clinic) are all fully funded by our state governments who should have lots of money. I guess when this current lot of machines are tired and worn out and contracts come up for renewal then… come on down!

Gus do you think the Fresenius Clinics will buy the NxStage machines? He He

Hehehe, very funny…most likely not…though they have money they wouldn’t use another companie’s dialysis machine…

Am sure, am really sure they have a secret under their sleeves and no one knows about it but me… :stuck_out_tongue:

Thanks for sharing this news Gus! The situation is such in my house that we can’t both travel together and my son and family live in Baltimore and we in NWNJ so it’s good to know that eventually I will be able to drive down and see my new grandaughter, and not worry about my dialysis txs… I always hear how portable the machines are but you are the first to provide “evidence”. I have a Jeep suv so I’m sure everything will fit in there. I can just collapse the rear seats. Lin.

Hi Lin,

I think you will have better room in the SUV…am thinking about getting an SUV in place of the car… :stuck_out_tongue:

Thanks Gus, We have a Jeep Liberty with a 60/40 rear seat split and I recomment that if you do go for an SUV. It’s a lot more versatile that way whether it be people, dialysis supplies, groceries, or a trip to the home improvement center. Thanks for the nice pics… The setup with the recliner within reach of desk is just what I had in mind. It will be right around corner from the new bath and laundry area. Lin.

Good pictures Gus, we had a demonstration in our unit from a former patient and it was fantastic! I have had my buttonhole for a little over a year and I am running into problems. Davita says it costs too much and that they would lose money… yet the davita center in Daly city uses the nxstage system for Home Hemo. My insurance is medicare and VA ( I am 100% disabled with VA)
VA says they only know about PD, they dont cover home hemo. I am getting stonewalled from every angle. I need to find a Vet on home hemo who is covered by VA (hopefully on a Nxstage unit)

Mike

Send me an email Mike- I think I know some ‘people’.

Well thanks Mike!

…here’s my advice, if the clinic where your at can’t then go where they will…if you mean Daly City California then switch to WellBound! They’re all over California…the people at WellBound know how to handle your case very well…they listen! :smiley:

http://www.wellbound.com

The VA manual discusses home dialysis and states that the VA encourages the use of home dialysis. Under 4.02 it states that the VA covers hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis at home or in center. Under 4.05© it states that every VA center will provide home and/or self-care dialysis and discusses payment for installation of a machine in the home and training of a person to assist the patient. Section 4.09 states that the VA may pay 100% of Medicare’s allowed rate for dialysis as compared with Medicare that reduces its payment by the deductible and coinsurance. However, this says “may” not “shall.”
http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=834

At my local VA (Kansas City), to get fee basis (payment in the community), the patient must live at least 75 miles from the VA and be 70% service connected. Otherwise, the patient needs to do dialysis at the VA. The KC VA offers in-center hemo and PD. I called the VA today and the social worker told me the VA strongly encourages patients to get Medicare and a Medicare supplement plan if they’re eligible to do so. She thought that their VA only pays 80% of Medicare’s allowable and clinics in the community don’t want to accept patients unless they have applied for other coverage.

If you have VA benefits, are you on fee basis in the community? Who is your dialysis clinic billing for your care? Is the clinic collecting 80% or 100% of Medicare’s allowed rate for your dialysis? If it’s only getting 80%, can you get a Medicare supplement to pay the 20%? I don’t think a clinic can recoup its costs for daily dialysis with the NxStage on 80% of Medicare’s allowable even if the clinic is able to get reimbursement for 4 treatments a week, but that might be a question to ask the clinic.

I’d ask your DaVita clinic if it would allow you to do daily dialysis if you had coverage for 100% of the Medicare allowable for 3 or 4 treatment a week. If not, ask the Daly City clinic (or another closer clinic with daily HHD) would accept you with your insurance.

Contact the VA and ask about what the manual says about payment for dialysis in the community. If the VA says it will only pay 80%, contact your federal elected officials and tell them what the manual says the VA may pay 100% of Medicare’s allowable rate and point out that manual says the VA promotes home dialysis – PD and home hemo.

Keep in mind that if you have a Medicare supplement, it doesn’t matter what the VA will or won’t pay. Medicare does pay for home hemo and the supplement would pay the 20% Medicare doesn’t pay. If your doctor can justify 4 treatments, it’s possible for the clinic to recoup its costs. I believe NxStage has developed materials to help clinics that contract with NxStage understand and maximize reimbursement. Check with your state insurance department to see if you can get a supplement.